Stamp Thine Own Image Deep on My Heart

The hymn “Oh! to Be Like Thee” by Thomas O. Chisholm, published in 1897, was inspired and penned from these two passages of Scripture 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 1 John 4:17.

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." ​2 Corinthians 3:18

"By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world." 1 John 4:17

The refrain says:

Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

​Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer, This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion, Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

​Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit, Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches, Willing to suffer, others to save.

Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming, Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing, Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.

​Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading, Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling, Fit me for life and Heaven above.

​refrain
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

I especially love the line in the refrain, “Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.”

My prayer today, “Don’t just stamp it Lord, stamp it DEEP!” We need a deep, deep stamping of His image on our hearts. Nothing superficial, something DEEP!​​ Will you pray this prayer with me today?

At the same time that we are asking God to stamp His image deep on our hearts, think about this quote from Kevin DeYoung.

"Every person in your life has inherent worth and dignity because they are created in the image of God." —Kevin DeYoung

We're all different, but we're all still made in the image of God. We all have value, and we're all made worthy by His redeeming love.

How do you stamp the image of God deep on your heart?