Fetter and Easter

I've already used my favorite Hymn as a blog entry... but I'm using it again. Don't care-- Come Thou Fount is filled with beautiful symbolism and imagery that I think about all the time (especially during Holy week)... so here's a word to chew on.

Fetter.

Here's the last verse of the hymn so you can get a glimpse of the bigger picture:

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above

The term Fetter isn't ever used anymore..except I heard it in Les Miserables yesterday when I watched the movie...again. (I will NEVER get tired of this film.) Fetters are used as shackles for the feet- it disables someone from rapid movement, big steps... or freedom. Being shackled at the feet was a symbol of mistrust, if you were bound by a fetter it meant that you were not even trusted to have your feet or legs move freely. No one would willingly want to be put in a fetter.

So, as the lyrics of this beautiful hymn are brought into place, it talks about the Lord's goodness being like a fetter?! How does that work? If I heard this while being locked in a fetter I would not take God to be good or loving. A fetter is a symbol of slavery and captivity.

But, Robert Robertson, the writer, obviously didn't intend for this image to be one sung about captivity and slavery. As I've been thinking constantly about Jesus' sacrifice, and his beatings on my behalf, I had this question today:

Was Jesus placed in a fetter during his brutal beatings? Was my Savior showing me what it looked like to literally die to yourself? Was Jesus Christ showing me the goodness of God's painful sacrifice? Was the Lord drawing me closer to Himself during Jesus' barbaric and merciless death all while wearing a fetter?

The answer to those questions are: Yes. And I'm JUST today realizing that. The goodness like a fetter, is what Jesus, my Savior and Teacher endured on my behalf.  It was gruesome and disturbing.  It was painful. But, Jesus Christ showed me the ultimate sacrifice by submitting Himself to servanthood, to be shackled, to be abused and mocked on MY behalf. It was so hopeless and hopeful all in His last breath. We knew goodness would come out of so much torture, but we were scared.

I don't know why we take it for granted. If Jesus endured mockery, shame, blood and death on my behalf, I can at least desire to draw closer to Him. I can at least ask the Lord to bind my heart to His, as a response of His son's selfless and most beautiful act of love.  Lord, let your goodness, like a miserable, uncomfortable fetter... bind my heart to you... just like it did Your son.