How Deep is His Love?
Devotion in Motion
Weekend Inspiration
Romans 5:5-11
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
In 1977, the group– the Bee Gees wrote a song that was named by Rolling stone magazine as one of the top 500 songs of all time. (How deep is your love)
It was a song that they wrote for the movie Saturday Night fever. The lyrics are simple and they ask a simple question
How deep is your love?
How deep is your love?
How deep is your love?
I really mean to learn
‘Cause we’re living in a world of fools
Breaking us down when they all should let us be
We belong to you and me
These verses tell us just exactly How deep God’s love is, not was, but is for me and you.
Verse 5, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Here’s one more perk to add to our list – the love of God. God sets out His love in His Word, but He pours out His love by His Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit that makes God’s love perceptible, tangible, touchable. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Amazing! Once, a little boy was asked to donate blood to his sick sister. He didn’t really understand the procedure, but he loved his sister and would do anything to help her. So, when the needle was removed from his arm the little guy said to the nurse, “Tell me, when am I going to die?” He’d agreed to the transfusion thinking it would cost him his life! Yet the little boy’s brave and selfless act still falls short of illustrating the love of Jesus. It’s one thing to die for someone you admire and love and who loves you. It’s an altogether different issue to lay down your life for an enemy!
Note the words in these verses… when did God fall in love with you? When you were “without strength,” “ungodly,” “sinners,” even “enemies”. Before you gave a rip about God – God demonstrated His love for you in an extreme way. Before you gave the first inkling you’d ever serve, or follow, or love Him – God went out on a limb – a limb called the cross – to prove He loved you! God, didn’t wait until you were lovable to start loving you. Even at your ugliest and dirtiest He is willing to take you “as is” because of faith in Jesus. While we were still sinners – Jesus died in our place.
On April 6, 32 AD, God made a scene. He made a point for earth and heaven to see. He proved for all time just how much He loves us… God sets out His love in His Word. He pours out His love by His Spirit. And He works out His love on the cross. Verse 9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
An interesting name for God appears in Ezekiel 7:9, “Jehovah-naka” (nawkaw’) or “the Lord who strikes.” God is no pacifist. One day He’ll strike the wicked world with a sharp sword! God is the Lord-who-strikes, but He doesn’t want to strike you. He loves you, so in your place He struck His own Son. Thirty-nine times His back was slashed with a whip. His brow pricked with prickly thorns. His hands and feet were perforated with stakes. His side pierced. And His heart was punctured by a spear. I hope you get the point! Jesus was struck so you wouldn’t have to be. (The God-who-strikes became the God-who-was-stricken) Jesus died on a Roman cross to save you from the wrath to come and reconcile you to God.
Tennyson once wrote of Roman religion “The gods are hard to reconcile.” The Roman idols were false gods with a grudge. They had to be won over. Their anger and reluctance had to be overcome. But the cross was not man’s effort to appease an angry God. It was God’s plan all along to reconcile us. God takes the initiative – He goes out of His way – to have a relationship with us. Verse 11, “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
The lost world we live in approaches life with fingers crossed. They’re hoping luck is on their side. We approach life with our eyes fixed on the cross! God demonstrated His love. He made a scene. He spoke in an undeniable way. So why do we doubt Him? What more could He do to better say He loves you, than what He’s already done!
So how deep is God’s Love for you?
Deeper than the deepest oceans and deeper still than even you or I could possibly go!
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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