JOHN 13:1 – Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE BOUNDLESSNESS OF GOD’S LOVE. It might not be a familiar hymn to everyone but it sure is a good one for everyone. Its title is The Love of God by Frederick Lehman. The scripture basis is Jeremiah 31:3 – I have loved you with an everlasting love. I think the ending of today’s scripture would also be a good foundation for this hymn especially the last six words – He loved them to the end. Now, we must understand what John means. He is not saying, “Jesus loved His disciples to the end of His earthly life.” That would be true and perhaps fitting with the context which is the “Upper Room Discourse” and our Lord’s last days on earth. But the meaning is far more reaching and far far far more encouraging. John is telling us that Jesus loves His own without limit or to the utmost. And what is the limit and utmost of God’s love? None. It is bottomless. Or allow the Apostle Paul to tell us of the limitless nature of God’s love . . . . For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19). But let’s go back to the hymn. Here is the third stanza. Take time today and meditate on the words and let God love us in a way that leaves us in greater awe and thanksgiving for such love.
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, tho stretched from sky to sky.
How beautiful is that? How uplifting such words! Christian, there are a lot of things in God’s Word to motivate us to a life of uncompromising obedience to God’s Word, but nothing tops the motivation of realizing and experiencing how loved we are by God! Don’t take it for granted Don’t ignore seasons of meditation upon it. It is too precious to presume upon; too costly to ignore; and too motivating to go unnoticed in our lives! Such love indeed demands our all and all, all the time. And simply put, is He not worthy of such abandonment of ourselves and allegiance to Him?
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for a such love to me that knows no limits.”
QUOTE: “The love of God knows no bounds and is something to not only rejoice in, but be motivated by to live for Him with zeal.”