Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

The past couple of weeks at our house have been really busy to say the least.  Good busy...fun busy!!  In the middle of football, homeschooling, homeschool group and church activities my parents were able to make the long haul out from the great city of Midland, Texas to come to visit all of us here in Georgia.  And oh how I love having them here with me!!!  I have been gone from "home" for a long time, but it is still and I am supposing it will always be hard everytime they leave to go back.  I have GREAT parents.  You know when you are a kid and you think your folks are basically superheroes.....well I am pretty sure mine still are.  They are just the best.  The wisdom that rolls out of my dad's mouth is crazy to me!!  I wonder when some of that will rub off:)!!??  The sweetness that pours out of my mother's heart warms my soul.  OHHH to be half the parents to my children that they have been to me. 

I have been thinking a lot about home and what my parents have done for me in my life.  They have helped us in so many ways, but more than anything, my parents are transparent.  I know when they struggle because they tell me.  Their faith is the real deal. That is so rare....everyone (including myself) wants people to think very highly of them, of their faith.  I never want to admit I still struggle with sin....but I do.  I struggle with my words with my children.  I can be so harsh, so sharp.  I struggle with my feelings of inadequacy as a pastor's wife.  I don't love people the way I should.  At times, these sin issues can feel like a mountain....Everest!!!  I feel like Paul when he said (Courtney's paraphrasing)....The things I know to do....I don't do them.....the things I know NOT to do....well those I find myself doing all the time!  This sin struggle at times can be so overwhelming.  That's when God tenderly shows me something in His Word or through the thoughts of other Christians....I found this yesterday....

I was working on our music for Sunday....and we are singing "Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus".  Every now and then I like to look at the history behind the lyrics.  So I googled the song......the writer's name was Samuel T. Francis and he lived in London in the 1800s.  Although raised in church he really struggled with his faith.  It happened that one lonely night in London he came upon the bridge overlooking the Thames River and was contemplating taking his life.  Thankfully those thoughts were overcome by these......the depths of Christ's love.  These are the lyrics he penned.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

 

His life was changed.....my life was changed through love of Jesus Christ.  I too have seen my sin....it sinks me to the depths.  It offends my family, my friends, but more than that it has offended a Holy God.  So what was I to do?  Still ,what am I to do?  Run to the cross of Christ!  It is there that I find that the penalty of my sin is SO severe that God Himself had to die for it.  It is there that I find that His love for us...for me is so great that He would willingly lay Himself down as the substitute for my offenses.  When lost I found refuge in the love of Christ....and as a follower of Christ I still find my solace in Him.  ~~Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus.....Tis an ocean full of blessing....tis a haven giving rest!~~  When I find myself entrenched in the darkness of sin, I still run to the cross.  It is there where my hope is found.  I am thankful for parents who were and still are transparent enough to show me EVERYthing  I need is found in the cross of Christ.

 

 

This is Sovereign Grace's version of  "Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus"