Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were 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.
(Third stanza from the hymn, "The Love of God" by Frederick Lehman)
I was driving home from a grocery run recently, absently singing this stanza of the hymn, "Love of God". The words pierced my consciousness after a moment and wrapped around me as I pondered the vastness of God's love. The story goes that the words of this verse originated with a first-century rabbi and later appeared etched into the prison cell of an unnamed prisoner and found after his execution. The poem then came into possession of the author of this well-known hymn, Frederick Lehman, and was the basis for his song "Love of God" - a hymn written during a trying time of Lehman's life. Although the origins of this particular stanza are unclear, it remains that times of hardship often produce greater realization of God's love.
For those of us who call ourselves Christians, we are reminded on a regular basis of the love God has for His children. But I have seen often, in myself and others, that we rarely truly believe that love. Many of us suffer from fear of doing the wrong thing and "un-earning" God's love. We fear that maybe His love isn't big enough to cover the depth of our failures. How could a perfect God truly love an imperfect human like me? Perhaps we question that unfailing love when a particularly tough circumstance comes our way. Why does God sometimes show His love through tests and trials?
My oldest son is a master at charm whenever he gets in trouble. His first words after a scolding are "I love you", as if to remind himself that he's still loved although he's been corrected. How like a little child we are! After correction, we wonder if God still loves us; we fear the loss of His affection when a trial comes our way. Have you forgotten me, Lord? Over and over in God's word, He reminds us of His great love. Yet, that is the one thing we struggle to accept.
My friend, remember God's eternal, never-failing love today. It is promise we can hold! No matter the war in your mind - whether you feel unworthy of His love or angry that He chooses to show His love in strange, divine ways - know that God's love will never fail. He loves you with an everlasting love!
Oh love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Photo by Rod Long courtesy of Unsplash
