As I meditated on the precious love of God, I began to get carried away in deep thought about the vastness of His love and just wanted to share these reflections with you …….
We’ve probably all experienced unrequited love in one way or another – through friends, loved ones, etc. Many of us know what that feels like and how painful it is – giving love, opening the door of our hearts, hoping for relationship, only to experience coldness or rejection – and so does God, especially as He has oceans of love for us.
Even if we have a relationship with God, through Christ, sometimes our erring ways can cause us to actually move away from Him, from that close fellowship we should have, because we know He is holy, and when we fall short we feel we have failed Him .. yet again.
It can be the case that instead of running TO Him, we may find ourselves missing out on those special times of closeness in His presence. The love of God, being unfathomable and pure, reaches out to us in mercy. Again and again, He lovingly calls us to draw near to Him, in so many ways: perhaps through a song, a word of scripture, encouragement from a friend, a sermon, even through circumstances. God patiently waits … with oceans of love … but are we always aware?
There have been seasons in my faith life when things were going along nice and smoothly, then, at some point, a situation may occur in which I felt I’d failed God again in one way or another, and (feeling defeated) would think to myself, `He must be tired of me constantly coming back for forgiveness’. As my relationship with Him grew, however, I became reassured by the reminder that it wasn’t any good that I had done that made me acceptable to God – but the righteousness of Jesus alone. Thank You Lord!
We are encouraged in scripture to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV). We are saved by grace through faith, and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Although we are saved FOR good works, we’re not saved BY them. When we realise this, we can not only ask for forgiveness when we’re in the wrong, but can forgive ourselves and others too. It’s all about the life of Jesus being lived through us. It’s all about Him, not us! Through the everlasting love of God, that same saving grace is available to us for daily living.
When Jesus sacrificed His life for us on the cross, He paved the way for those special words that He uttered to be fulfilled – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The transaction was done in terms of God. He “SO loved the world that He gave ..” (John 3:16). God’s oceans of love caused Him to give. He did His part. After that, it was our turn to respond to His gift, so that we could experience this forgiveness and the vastness of His love.
It’s continually our turn to respond to His heart of love which extends beyond the cross, however. As we seek to follow the Lord in our daily walk, we can experience more and more the reality of His love, and continual cleansing and forgiveness, because of our fellowship with Him (1 John 1:7-9). His sacrifice makes us acceptable; His perfection covers our imperfection.
Against the many distractions, trials, temptations and struggles in our journey with God, His eternal and holy love beckons us to keep on coming. God is love ~ rich and free. Love calls us ~ love awaits us. Isn’t that precious?! Tears fill my eyes just to think about this fact. That love is unconditional, forgiving, full of mercy, continually reaching out to all the world, looking for an inlet into human hearts. What a treasure we have in our hearts as believers!
Prayer: Thank You Heavenly Father for your fathomless oceans of love, shown to us through Jesus, Your Son, in His sufferings, death and resurrection. Thank You that this precious love made it possible for us to draw near to You, to come before Your throne and find all our needs met, because of Your heart of mercy and forgiveness. May the love You continually show .. fill our hearts daily, and may that love be poured out through us to others also ~ for Your glory and praise, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Here is a beautiful song about the love of God (a song I love) written by Graham Kendrick entitled “Such Love” …..
In these trying times in which we live, there is Someone to Whom we can turn…God, our Heavenly Father. He is faithful and true.. able to sustain us, to carry us through – whatever may be the storm in our life, whether literal, emotional, spiritual, psychological, etc. GOD is our refuge and strength.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for your kindness and mercy towards us always. Help us in these difficult days to allow You to be our refuge and our strength. At times, we feel so weak, but You are strong always. Thank You that Your strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we cannot depend upon ourselves, thank You that we CAN depend on You. May our faith and trust in You, and Your holy Word, grow day by day, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Thank You Lord, Amen.
Blessings and love always dear friends
Christine ~
Dear Lord, be my compass as I journey on
My trust is in You Lord, for You’re never wrong
With You in the picture, I know I’ll succeed
With Your hand to guide me, I know You will lead
In the way I should go and the path I should take
Please guide all my steps and each move that I make
Whichever direction You’d have me to go
Please help me to follow ~ help me to know
For You are my Captain and focus of faith
My Alpha and Omega ~ on You Lord I wait
To run on without You, I’m certain to fail
Like a ship on the sea, without a firm sail
Shine on my path ~ each day and each night
Surround me, O Saviour, with heavenly Light
I’m trusting You, Jesus, my joy and my song
O Lord, be my compass as I journey on
There’s a love that’s so precious, so dependable and unfailing
and this poem is about that love … written like a love letter from heaven …
~Mine Is The Love~
Mine is the love that stands through time A love that never fails. Upon the cross, My love lived on Although My hands were nailed The pangs of death and hell could not Prevent love’s burning fire To see you whole again has been My Father’s great desire
I rose again, for death could not Obliterate this love And now the way is open to My Father’s throne above Each day that passes by, I see The longing of your heart It’s My desire to comfort you And My love to impart
You’re precious and I long to give you Everlasting peace And reassure you daily that My mercies never cease. Mine is the love that stands through time O come to Me, dear soul Receive My precious love, sublime That never will grow old –oOo–
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13)
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God bless you dear friends at this Easter season, and beyond, as we remember the greatness of God’s love, through what Jesus did for us in order to give us the chance of a restored relationship with God.
Though beautiful Spring is on the horizon, in some parts of the world it may be dark Winter. Life may be like that too. I pray this poem of encouragement may bless someone …..
A poem of comfort … based on the words of Jesus in John 14:27, John 16:33 and Matthew 28:20. Time is rolling along fast. Things are happening everywhere, just as the Lord forewarned. The darkness is increasing, but let’s arise and shine! Let’s hold onto the words of our Saviour, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, in this world of tribulation. Be encouraged, dear friend. He promised all who believe that He would never leave us or forsake us. Precious Lord .. fill our hearts with Your peace ~ Amen.
~ ~ ~ This poem, and many more poems of encouragement, are published in my 2nd book of poetry “COMFORT & HOPE” available from Amazon (ISBN-10: 1500139696)
There’s a promise in the Bible for you; the answer to your heart’s cry, Dear Friend – if you open its pages and just read .. you’ll soon see why, Despite the despair and the darkness, there is hope for you today, and it’s found in the Lord Jesus Christ for all who will call on His Name!
A good place to begin to find out about the love of God
is by reading in the Bible the gospels, found in the New Testament. (eg. start with St John)
~ ~ ~
St John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”
(NASB)
Absolutely NOTHING compares
with the satisfaction and fulfilment that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfils the inner longing of human hearts.
All we need to do is:
* Believe the gospel * Call on His Name * Turn away from our sins * Let Him come in.
Speaking just of water,
in the Bible story of the woman at the well,
Jesus said “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13 NIV)
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Christine's Poetry & Reflections 