Dave Celli
The Love of God
I really enjoy many genres of Christian music- contemporary, country, traditional, southern gospel, instrumental (the piano is my favorite!). I also have many favorite songs among each of them. One of them is the song “The Love of God”, especially this verse:
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. – Frederick Martin Lehman
Susan and I love going to the beach. For me, there is nothing better than getting up early and watching the sun come up over the ocean horizon. As I stand on the shoreline and wait, the words to this song flood my soul. Although the ocean seems large and vast from my viewpoint, it is just a small fraction of what is actually there. So it is with God’s love for us, our finite minds cannot even grasp the amount of love that God has for us. Have you ever spent time thinking about God’s love? Here are some characteristics to get you started:
God’s love is unconditional Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
God’s love is eternal Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
God’s love is sacrificial 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
God’s love is constant 1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them
God’s love is perfect 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
God’s love is overflowing Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
God’s love is unfailing Psalm 36:5-7 Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Take some time today to meditate on the one that is meaningful to you or spend some time in God’s Word to discover more characteristics of His love.
Can you feel the sand between your toes, can you smell the salty air, do you hear the waves coming to shore? Go ahead and sing it, you know you want to!O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song. – Frederick Martin Lehman