The love of God
The love of God
I'm quite a hymn person actually, although I do have knowledge also over a repertoire of contemporary songs. Personally, I find the words of hymns very aptly chosen by the composer, the music fitted in perfectly in most cases too - and the richness that brings out either the love of God, the mystery of God, the grace of God, or prompting the response of God's people towards Him, etc. The second reason why I appreciated hymns more than contemporary songs is because I find hymns are more directed towards God - the focus in the well-chosen words direct us quite "automatically" towards the awesome God that we worship, whereas for contemporary songs, in most cases (not all), they are more "inward looking" and the attention of the words seemed to be more on human response than the mystery of God. Nonetheless, there are very good and well-written contemporary songs too, one example would be "The heart of worship", I supposed.
One of my favourite hymn include "The love of God" and imagine how "thrilled" I am when this was the opening hymn during this morning's service. And since this day happens to be the first Sunday of the month, it was also Holy Communion Sunday, and Rev PK said something that struck me real deep, as he invited the congregation to the Communion table. He gives the usual invitation for all who loves the Lord to come, and then he said, "Come, the table of God is large enough for all ..." and I just felt - indeed, there's no way heaven's population can be limited by human measurement, nor the love of God be defined with words or boundary. The mansions prepared by Jesus for each of us in heaven itself can more than contain the numbers in our ability to count.
And as Rev TKL was making the announcement during the service, he also mentioned something which I agreed readily with. He said his wife told him earlier in the morning as she came back from the market that a loaf of bread now cost 5 to 10 cents more, all because of the 2% increase in GST, but the good news is the price of everything in this world may increase, but the Good News remains free of charge for those who are willing to accept, although this gift cost Jesus His very life. Indeed, all the things in the world may change or fade, but God's love remains the same forever. The words that written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917 so beautifully brings out this wonderful reminder to each of us ...
Refrain
Isn't God's love amazing? Just read and re-read the final verse of the song and you'll be filled with amazement at the richness of His love - to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry ... WOW! because there's simply no way this love can be appropriately defined, described, or measured in words or measuring instruments.
Psalm 103:11-14 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust."
I'm quite a hymn person actually, although I do have knowledge also over a repertoire of contemporary songs. Personally, I find the words of hymns very aptly chosen by the composer, the music fitted in perfectly in most cases too - and the richness that brings out either the love of God, the mystery of God, the grace of God, or prompting the response of God's people towards Him, etc. The second reason why I appreciated hymns more than contemporary songs is because I find hymns are more directed towards God - the focus in the well-chosen words direct us quite "automatically" towards the awesome God that we worship, whereas for contemporary songs, in most cases (not all), they are more "inward looking" and the attention of the words seemed to be more on human response than the mystery of God. Nonetheless, there are very good and well-written contemporary songs too, one example would be "The heart of worship", I supposed.
One of my favourite hymn include "The love of God" and imagine how "thrilled" I am when this was the opening hymn during this morning's service. And since this day happens to be the first Sunday of the month, it was also Holy Communion Sunday, and Rev PK said something that struck me real deep, as he invited the congregation to the Communion table. He gives the usual invitation for all who loves the Lord to come, and then he said, "Come, the table of God is large enough for all ..." and I just felt - indeed, there's no way heaven's population can be limited by human measurement, nor the love of God be defined with words or boundary. The mansions prepared by Jesus for each of us in heaven itself can more than contain the numbers in our ability to count.
And as Rev TKL was making the announcement during the service, he also mentioned something which I agreed readily with. He said his wife told him earlier in the morning as she came back from the market that a loaf of bread now cost 5 to 10 cents more, all because of the 2% increase in GST, but the good news is the price of everything in this world may increase, but the Good News remains free of charge for those who are willing to accept, although this gift cost Jesus His very life. Indeed, all the things in the world may change or fade, but God's love remains the same forever. The words that written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917 so beautifully brings out this wonderful reminder to each of us ...
The love of God (Frederick M. Lehman, 1917)
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen could 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
Refrain
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure —
The saints’ and angels’ song.
When years of 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
Isn't God's love amazing? Just read and re-read the final verse of the song and you'll be filled with amazement at the richness of His love - to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry ... WOW! because there's simply no way this love can be appropriately defined, described, or measured in words or measuring instruments.
Psalm 103:11-14 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust."
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