http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:38-39&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2031:3&version=NIV
Over 25 years ago there was a woman in our church in Niagara Falls, N. Y. who occasionally sang a solo. Her name was Shirley Pearson. When Shirley sang, the song she liked to sing was a hymn entitled, “The Love Of God”. I don’t know that I was especially smitten by the song the first time she sang it but gradually it grew on me. Not only did I like the tune, the words were very powerful. Especially the 3rd verse. There’s a story behind this verse.
The hymn was written by Frederick M. Lehman. Lehman pastored several Nazarene churches in Indiana & Illinois before moving to Kansas City in 1911. There he became involved in starting the Nazarene Publishing House. At some point in time, many years earlier, Lehman was at a camp meeting in a mid-western state. At the end of his message, an evangelist quoted what is now the last verse of the song. It seems that this verse had previously been a Jewish poem, The Hadamut, which was written in 1096 by Rabbi Mayer. Lehman was so impressed with the words that he determined to preserve it in song for future generations. Sometime later, Lehman composed the first two verses as well as the chorus. Hence the creation of the hymn. Lehman copyrighted it in 1917.The hymn, which is posted below, is very good. Talk about Holy Spirit inspiration, this is it! Of course, as I have mentioned, the 3rd verse is simply profound. Basically what it says is that it is humanly impossible to describe the love of God. Isn’t that the truth! Oh, the wonderful love of God that reached down to save me. And you. And all humankind.
THE LOVE OF GOD
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.
O love of God, how rich and pure,
How measureless and strong,
It shall forevermore endure,
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.
O love of God, how rich and pure,
How measureless and strong,
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints' and angels' song.
Lord, once again I marvel at the depth of Your great love. Measureless. Strong. Overpowering. Life-changing. May my life give testimony to these facts on a daily basis. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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