The Love Of God

A Mural in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem

'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' John 3:16

Christians understand the love of God as that love that compels the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our salvation. While this atoning love of Christ's sacrifice is indeed the greatest love of all, many Christians have a very narrow, almost self-serving understanding of God's love; the love of God is all about us and our salvation. But God's love is far more than just for our salvation. It is timely for us to understand how deep and how wide, how ubiquitous and permeating the Love of God is not only to us but for the whole world.  

Allow me to share with you a remarkably tender video. This past week, my grandchildren were down with Covid. The eldest, James came down with Covid-19 and he kept himself to his bedroom, resting all day. Now the family has two pet cats who are lovingly close to the family, especially with our three grandchildren, James, Eleanor and Luke. The cats seem to know that the children are sick. Auri, one of cats, went to my daughter, meowed and then led her to James' bedroom beckoning her to open the door. She then got on to his bed and started comforting him.

What do you think of it? My first thought was that of reciprocal love. Pets are capable of empathy and often return the love and care expressed to them. Pets are especially sensitive and endearing towards their caring owners. Love and care received translate to love and care returned.

Another lingering thought is that this gesture by animals show the love of God expressed in all creation. So like all of God's creatures, humans are also capable of expressing God's love in the most loving and tender-hearted manner. Unfortunately. it is most tragic that sin prevents some of us from expressing that innate love of God.

The Psalmist extolled the Love of God manifested in all creation; inanimate and animate, physical and biological Nature

'Your unfailing love, O Lord, is a 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. ' Psalms 36:5-7

O the depths and the ramifications of God's love. Thus, to see this love only from the perspective of salvation, however important it may be, is to miss this love altogether. We need to unpeel the camouflage that Satan and sin imposes on this love. We need to realise that The Love of God Is Greater Far than we can ever conceive.

The love of God is greater far

  Than tongue or pen can ever tell.

It goes beyond the highest star

  And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

  God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

  And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

  How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song

When hoary time shall pass away,

  And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray,

  On rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,

  All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—

  The saints’ and angels’ song.

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.

This love is anchored in us and St Paul boldly said that nothing can separate us from God's love.  

'For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38-39 

We have come in full circle, the Love of God seen externally and beyond us eventually leads to the Love of God felt within us; leading to our full salvation

'Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.' Ephesians 3:17-19 (NLT)

Lionel  

La Vie En Rose

'The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.' Psalms 34:18

This is a beautiful love song. La Vie En Rose literally means life in pink. It can be  translated as life in rosy hues and or life seen through happy lenses. I was drawn to its tune and lyrics but even more so to the French singer and composer of this song, Édith Piaf. 

Her life was very tragic. Edith was called la môme, the orphan sparrow, reflecting her difficult childhood of extreme poverty. Her mother, a café singer, abandoned her at birth, and she was taken in by her grandmother, who brought up the young girl in a brothel. Piaf became blind at age three, a complication of meningitis, but recovered her sight four years later. A few years after that she joined her father, a circus acrobat, accompanied him wherever he performed and sang in the streets of Paris eking a meagre living. 

Later in life Edith Piaf was involved in several serious car accidents. She suffered from failing health, due partly, to alcohol and drug abuse. She died young, aged  47 years, from lung cancer. 

Her death was mourned internationally and in France, thousands lined the route of her funeral procession. She was able to move audiences with her passionate rendition of songs of love and loss with her unadorned but unique sultry voice. 

Edith Piaf led a tragic life, yet this song of life seen in happy hues gave no hint of her unfortunate circumstances. Furthermore, this song was composed by her in the final years of World War 2. It was a statement refusing to acknowledge the ravages of war but instead expressing a hope for a better age. No wonder this song is far more than a hit; it is honoured by some as the unofficial national anthem of the French. 

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose

When you kiss me heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose

When you press me to your heart

I'm in a world apart

A world where roses bloom

And when you speak

Angels sing from above

Everyday words seem

To turn into love songs

Give your heart and soul to me

And life will always be

La vie en rose

This song, its lyrics and the circumstances surrounding its composition, reminds us that life can be lived optimistically in spite of difficulties and tragedies. Such an attitude can help us through the most difficult times. Indeed it can help us journey the tough times of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the same way, St Paul wrote to encourage Christians:

'We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.'

2 Corinthians 4:8,9. 

Similarly, King David was pursued relentlessly twice in his lifetime, at first by King Saul and then by his own son, Absalom. He wrote many Psalms of his plight but he never buckled under his circumstances; he always hoped in God to deliver him from his enemies.

'Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord'.' Psalm 31:24

'For You have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.' Psalm 71:5

Why, my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God.'  Psalms 42:5

Instead of being downcast we can remain optimistic through bleak times. Remember the old Sunday School Song? 

Have faith hope and charity

That's the way to live successfully

How do I know?

The Bible tells me so.

Life is not always a bed of roses but it should always be seen through rosy hues, La Vie En Rose!

Lionel

How Great Is Our God

Butterflies Will Soon Be Free

'Great Is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty.' Psalms 145:3-5

These are uncertain times. When will the Covid pandemic end? Can we return to the normalcy of pre-Covid days? When will we be able to travel? Will the vaccinations confer adequate personal and herd immunity? Can we eradicate the Coronavirus from the face of the earth? 

At such times, Christians turn to God holding on to the promises God has given us. We reflect on the greatness and goodness of God, convincing ourselves that in the end God is greater than the Covid-19 pandemic and he will deliver us from this scourge. 

In a virtual format, the Charis Methodist Church choir sang a lovely hymn, extolling the promises of God, The Hymn Of Promise. Drawing on God's creative powers, this hymn reminds us, even in these uncertain days, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, for at last will come a victory.

In the bulb, there is a flower

In the seed, an apple tree

In cocoons, a hidden promise

Butterflies will soon be free

In the cold and snow of winter

There's a spring that waits to be

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

There's a song in every silence

Seeking word and melody

There's a dawn in every darkness

Bringing hope to you and me

From the past will come the future

What it holds, a mystery

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

In our end is our beginning

In our time, infinity

In our doubt, there is believing

In our life, eternity

In our death, a resurrection

At the last, a victory

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

With the uncertainty of these times in mind, our choir director, Rosalind Goh, made these comments in introducing this hymn,

 

"Against the bleak background of an uncertain future, we, God’s children, can rest securely on His unbreakable promises. God’s promises reflect His limitless power as Creator God, His loving faithfulness as a caring Father and His omnipotent rule as Sovereign God.The assurance that God fulfills His promises in His season, is our blessedness and enduring hope."

Rosalind explained that in a surprisingly gentle and flowing manner, this hymn that celebrates the Greatness of God which is  

• Evident in the activity of creation 
• Unravelled in processes of nature
• Displayed in the turning of the seasons
• Secured in the fulfillment of every promise
• Experienced in the resurrection after death

Those who have eyes will see the greatness of God and enjoy His goodness. Isaiah 40:25-31 declared:

 

"To whom will you compare me? 

Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. 

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? 

He brings them out one after another, 

calling each by its name. 

And he counts them to see that none are lost

 or have strayed away. 

O Israel, how can you say 

the LORD does not see your troubles? 

How can you say God refuses to hear your case? 

Have you never heard or understood? 

Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of all the earth? 

He never grows faint or weary. 

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; 

he offers strength to the weak. 

Even youths will become exhausted, 

and young men will give up. 

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. 

They will fly high on wings like eagles. 

They will run and not grow weary. 

They will walk and not faint.

Do we worry about the uncertainties, pain and suffering of the Covid crisis? 

While in prison facing the uncertainty of death the apostle Paul recalled his personal deprivations and hardships, wrote:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38  

God is a God of Promise. How great is our God!

Lionel