224 O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Paul has experienced tribulation, distress, persecution, and more. Yet, the love of Christ prevails. His mind, set on the Spirit produces within him life and peace. No assault of the flesh can take Christ from Paul, and nothing can take Paul from Christ. Locked behind prison walls, whipped times without number, frequent encounters with death, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, face-to-face with dangers from nature and dangers from men, in cities, deserts, and on the seas. Paul knows what it is to be hungry, thirsty, and cold (2 Cor. 11). Through it all, he has become convinced that nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate the child of God from the love of Christ. There is none mightier, none greater, none stronger than the Lion of Judah. No matter the tribulation—the pressures within; the pressures without—the love of Christ triumphs, able to conquer all things. 

God’s love for us is victorious. He has redeemed us and called us by name (Is. 43:1). He has even engraved us on the palms of His Hands (Is. 49:16). He has placed the highest possible value on us by sending His Only Son to die for us that we may live forever with Him. His unwavering love is all around us. We can be sure of His love for us. morning follows evening and spring follows winter, so does God’s love follow us in good times and bad. His love is reflected in the face of a child. His voice is echoed in the voice of a loved one. Heaven and earth abound with love-notes from Jesus. The lush green fields, the delicate fragrance of a flower, the majestic mountain peaks, the vast oceans—all of these are the work of our Creator’s hands. Just as mountains are formed when continental plates collide, so must our lives collide with each other. Our desires often in conflict with our circumstances. When pressures arise within our soul, we can rest assured that the love of Jesus, infinitely greater than any troubles we might encounter, will see us through. We become more in tune with Him.

Are you facing turmoil from within, pressures from without? Dwelling on temporal, earthly pain leads to death. Fixing your eyes on Jesus, Author and Finisher of your faith brings life and peace. Look to Jesus. He can be found in the people close to you, the creation around you, the hope within you. When you are drowning in affliction, He is there, holding you close in His arms, ready to strengthen your faith and comfort your soul. Remember, Christ loves you, He took on your nature, He redeemed you, He is preparing a place for you, He is interceding for you. Regardless of circumstances, look up and proclaim with your entire being, “Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!”

When You’re in Mixing Bowl

I love my house, my kitchen, my craft room, my yard, my front porch, and my neighborhood. It didn’t just happen. In fact, I searched for 3 years to find this place. We had narrowed it down to a couple of houses, but the realtor’s desires clashed with ours, making it impossible to purchase any of them. I was angry at the man, completely disregarding the possibility that God’s hand might be at work in our life. From time-to-time we drive by those former houses and praise God for using that realtor to close the door on every one of them.

Your Turn: Record a specific event in your life when you found yourself in God’s mixing bowl, colliding with people or circumstances. Have you experienced blessings because of the turmoil? This hymn speaks of the current of God’s love and Paul writes about tribulation, distress, and more. Nothing can separate you from His love, even when you don’t see it.