Praise
Lately I’ve learned a lot about the background of hymns written. When you see the rich content of these old songs, they strike you to your core. The last verse of ‘The Love of God’ was written on the wall of an insane asylum. ‘O Love That Will Not Let Me Go’ was written by a man who’s fiance left him after he turned blind. ‘It Is Well With My Soul’ was written after multiple members of the writer’s immediate family had died. Read these hymns, and don’t tell me you don’t stand in awe at how these writers managed to such profound words.
But this speaks much more to me than the importance of hope in adversity. It speaks to me about the love of God. What love could prove so strong to drive a man to write such joy in such darkness? What love could sustain the flame of hope so brightly that it will not dim, but instead illuminates its surroundings? What kind of love could fully satisfy sorrow’s leeching void? No love but the love which satisfied the wrath of God to bring you Home to glory. Only a love greater than this earth could incinerate the cares of hearts like ours. Only the love of God, so relentless so strong, the love which broke through the heavens and broke through dead to engulf you in wondrous eternal life could create such words, could create such sharp praise this. His love is not merely unconditional. He’s not passive. He’s burning with jealous, furious love. Be consumed.
“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.”- The Love of God, last verse
Soli Deo gloria,
God bless!
