Bill Gaither (who
is, in my opinion, one of the greatest Gospel singers/songwriters of our time)
was once asked besides the Psalms, what do you consider to be the greatest song
lyrics that have ever been written? Without hesitation he said this:
“Could we, with
ink the ocean fill
And were the sky
of parchment made,
Where every stalk
on earth a quill
And every man a
scribe by trade
To write the love
of God above
Would drain the
ocean dry.
Nor could the
scroll, contain the whole
Though stretched
from sky to sky.”
As this old gospel
hymn wonderfully declares, the love of God has never been measured. No amount
of books could ever be written to fully declare His infinite love. His love for
His people is incalculable. It is inexhaustible. It stretches as far as the
east is from the west. The Lord's incomprehensible love is deeper than the
oceans, higher than the heavens, and richer than the vast treasures of earth.
Love emanates from God. It flows from Him. As 1 John 4:7 states “love is of God.”
In 1 John 4:8 we find these simple, yet
profound words: “God is Love.” Now, this is not all that God is, nor is this
the sum of God; but thankfully, it is one of His Divine characteristics. God is
indeed love. It would not be accurate to say, that the author of this article
is love. Nor, even that the reader of this article is love -- but it is
gloriously true, that God is love.
One day, C.H.
Spurgeon was walking through the English countryside with a friend. As they
strolled along, the evangelist noticed a barn with a weather vane on its roof.
At the top of the vane were these words; “GOD IS LOVE.” Spurgeon remarked to
his companion that he thought this was a rather inappropriate place for such a
message. “Weather vanes are changeable,” he said, “but God’s love is constant.”
His friend replied by saying; “I don’t agree with you about those words,
Charles.” “You misunderstand the meaning. That sign is indicating a truth and
that is: Regardless of which way the
wind blows, GOD IS LOVE.”
God’s love is an
eternal love (Jeremiah 31:3). An immutable and
unconditional love. If you are a Christian, if you are indeed born-again, it is
not because of good works or some “foreseen faith", but it is because God
first loved you. Verse 19 of that same chapter of 1st John tells us
that we love Him, because (and only
because) He first loved us.
God, in His great
mercy, loves the unlovely. Look at this wonderful portion of the Scriptures, Romans 5:6-8 “For when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will
one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.” This is what God did. He loved us, when we were unlovely. Not good,
not godly, but while we were yet sinners.
Why He would love
us, is simply mind-boggling, yet we know He does. Years ago, there was a
well-known and well respected Bible scholar, who had just a tremendous
comprehension of Scripture. Someone asked him: “Sir, what is the single
greatest thought, you have ever had?” He thought for a moment and then replied…
“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so!” Even this great
theological mind, was still just a sinner, astonished by the love of God.
Near the end of
Romans chapter 8, the inspired writer asks a question: “what can separate us
from the love of Christ?” And then answers his own inquiry by forming a long
and inclusive list. After considering all that wars against the child of God,
he then summarizes by saying: “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come; nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Praise God for His
Sovereign, unconquerable love!
Oh love of God, how
rich and pure;
How measureless,
and strong
It shall forever
more endure
The saints and angel’s
song.”
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com
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