What Manner of Love Is This?

I was happy to sit at the piano for a while this morning. I'm so thankful for such rich lyrics full of grace and truth that make their way into your heart through the vehicle of song, in ways that just reading the words often do not.

I had not come across this song for quite some time, and it brought back memories of when it seemed to serve as one of our "communion songs" for a season at church.

How blessed was the precious life - Laid down at Calvary -

That took the sin of lowly man - And nailed it to the tree

How blessed was the innocent Lamb - That uttered not a sound -

Who chose instead to bow His head - And bear the thorny crown

How bless-ed, how bless-ed,

How bless-ed is the blood of Jesus

And the pure, redeeming blood - That flowed from Your side -

Is the sweet wine that's poured out for Your bride - It flowed form Your side

How blessed was the broken body - That wore the scarlet robe -

Who became the Name by which we are saved - In Whom we put our hope

How bless-ed, how bless-ed,

How bless-ed is the blood of Jesus

by Larry Hampton (c) 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

My Father God has so richly blessed me and bountifully given me so many deep and sweet relationships in this life. But Christ out shines them all. To look on his precious life, him nailed on the tree, his blood flowing and body broken, and to see that he did it for me - how brightly he shines above all.

And to think upon who is this man, this Son of Man, this Son of God, this Holy and righteous one, this all powerful and glorious mighty and majestic King of the universe, this Lion, that he should stoop so low to become a lamb and be crucified in my place? Why?

Why should he do this for such a slimy, hateful, insolent, evil wretch as I am? When he knows how great my offense even better than my own deceitful and ungrateful heart knows of itself, when he knows how I spurn his holiness, justice, and mercy to go my own way even after being chased unceasingly by his strong and loving hand, when he has naught to gain and all to lose by drawing me near, he still sacrificed it all to purchase me back to himself. Like Hosea bought back Gomer (Hosea 3), my Savior has paid the great price to seal my pardon and continues in his steadfast pursuit of my soul as a jealous God.

My Savior Christ is the lover of my soul and that is a marvel and inconceivable truth that I will spend all of eternity learning to contemplate fully. There is no end to his pursuit of me, and there is no end to his loving kindness. My God has seen fit to lay down his Son to purchase me from my self-dug grave and has won me back as his child and given me his Spirit so that I may call upon him as Abba, Father, and learn to love his Son and glorify his name in all my days and for eternity.

What manner of love is this? (1 John 3:1)

Oh, that my soul would always rejoice in the God and Father of my salvation! Amen and amen.

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshipped. - Revelation 5:11-14

photo: Conestoga Gardens, August 2010