No Greater Love

Most of us have heard of the little game “He loves me, he loves me not.” It originated in France but is known the world over as a cute little way for people to “determine” if the one they love shares their affection (or not).  I remember playing it when I was younger though I never put much faith in it. I guess, being the logical thinker that I am, it occurred to me that the answer really just depended on the flower you happened to pick. So, if you didn’t like the first result, just pick another one. Now that I think about it, it seems like such a waste of floral beauty (maybe the environmentalists would argue that the practice should be banned). But, for whatever reason, this game came to my mind the other day, so I have created my own version of “He loves me, He loves me not” with this list that describes the love of Jesus for us.

He loves me…

He loves me NOT because of who I am

    He loves me because of Who He is

He loves me NOT because of what I have (or have not) done
    He loves me through what He has done

He loves me NOT to improve me
    He loves me to make me new

He loves me NOT temporarily
    He loves me with an everlasting love

He loves me NOT because I am superior
    He loves me because He is superior

He loves me NOT because I am righteous
    He loves me because of my need to be rescued

He loves me NOT because I am honest
    He loves me because He is Truth

He loves me NOT because I am good
    He loves me because He is great

He loves me NOT exclusively of others
    He loves me in union with others by making us to be His Bride, the Church

He loves me NOT to make me happy
    He loves me to make me holy (which will be my greatest happiness)

He loves me NOT only in my times of ease
    He loves me in my times of difficulty

He loves me NOT in secret
    He loves me by demonstrating it to the world

He loves me NOT because I have a prestigious name
    He loves me enough to give me His Name

He loves me NOT because I loved Him first
    He loves me and initiated a relationship with me while I was yet His enemy

He loves me NOT because I am pretty
    He loves me to make me pure

He loves me NOT half-heartedly
    He loves me with reckless abandon

He loves me NOT gradually
    He loves me completely

He loves me NOT because I am loving
    He loves me because He is Love

He loves me NOT because I am kind
    He loves me because He is King

All the flowers in the world would give themselves to be plucked and every petal they bear to be yanked off if only we humans would get this truth. I mean really get this truth deep into our very beings. The Apostle Paul wrote it this way, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19)

He loves you!

Need more convincing? Download “Love to the Uttermost” an ebook offered free for Holy Week from Desiring God.    http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/love-to-the-uttermost-free-ebook-for-holy-week

The Love of God

hymn by F.M. Lehman

 

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

 

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

 

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.

 

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.