The Greatest Love

In some ways, we tend to focus too much on God’s love, believing it to override other characters such as justice and holiness. Yet, even in that, we don’t really understand what His love is or how it truly operates. It is far deeper and greater than we could imagine on our own. The hymn The Love of God by Frederick Lehman delves into some of the true meaning of God’s love.

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.

God’s love, being infinite and immeasurable as God Himself is, could never be fully comprehended, let alone explained, by mortal man. His love for us stretches higher, deeper, longer and wider than we could fathom (Eph 3:19). It reaches everywhere as He does. Nothing can separate us from it. (Rom 8:38-39) There is none He does not love, even those who choose hell. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to save us even when we were dead in our sins (Rom 5:8). We could never deserve the pardon we received, but He gave it gladly out of love.

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.

God’s love is also timeless as He is. It does not run out, expire, grow weary, or give up. His grace redeems us from our sinful, destruction-bound way of life so that we can spend eternity with Him. Eventually all sin will end with this earth and we will live in paradise. We wait eagerly for that day, but God delays not wishing any to perish. He is waiting until the last possible person may be saved and turn away from their futile, sinful life. His love goes beyond our sin, beyond the time it takes for us to turn from it, into eternity.

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.

It is not possible for the love of God to be explained, expressed or described by us. It is far greater than we will ever know or realize.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure—the saints’ and angels’ song.

It is vastly rich and pure. There is no evil or sin in it, no selfishness or pride. It is wholly pure. It is without measure, and stronger than anything we could ever do. It is the song of those who love God; both their praise of Him and their lifestyles. Those who love God, who have truly experienced His love, will in turn give His love to others, becoming a channel for His love to the world. It is the song we sing, the melody we live by.

Have you experienced God’s love? Do you seek it? Do you share it with others?

The Love of God. F.M. Lehman, 65, The Rejoice Hymnal.