whenever my dad and i are scheduled to sing, there always comes the dilemma of choosing the music. having sufficiently sung several duets (and rotating them a couple of times), we decided to broaden the repertoire. at first, i wanted to sing “all of these” . . . but we couldn’t find the music. then we decided we would try “here is love”– but it was just written as a men’s quartet. we decided to sing it anyway, with several modifications.
although chosen mainly out of convenience and necessity (by the time we found the other music, dad and i would be singing it with no practice . . . ), the timing of “here is love” at this point in my life is perfect. right now, it seems that contentment is becoming more and more of a struggle. it seems that i am so compelled to believe that somehow i need more than what God has seen fit to provide me at the moment.
every time i practice, the words come to mean more and more to me:
Here is love wide as the ocean
Loving kindness as a flood
When the Prince of Life, our ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven’s eternal days
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And Heaven’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love
Oh how marvelous, oh how glorious
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Oh how marvelous, oh how glorious
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Of Your fullness You are pouring
Your great love on me anew
Without measure, full and boundless
Drawing out my heart to You
You alone will be my glory
Nothing in the world I see
You have cleansed and sanctified me
You Yourself have set me free
i think my favorite phrase in the entire song is “Heaven’s Peace and Perfect Justice kissed a guilty world in love.” it so poignantly paints the actions of Christ towards the undeserving world.
God’s love is so much more than i deserve. God’s love is all that I need. and He has already exceedingly abundantly provided that through Christ. and Christ alone.
just thinking on that thought alone . . .
“who can cease to sing His praise?”
