God’s Love In The Midst Of Our Pain

On Sunday we sang “O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus”, which is always comforting to me. The song first came to my attention many years ago when I was preparing to go to a friends funeral.

The funeral was remarkable because Dave had been a staunch atheist since childhood. Upon contracting skin cancer, however, he began thinking about his life and about eternal issues. God met him there in his pain and distress and Dave became a triumphant, joyful, baptized believer prior to his death.

So as I went to his funeral, this hymn was ringing strongly through my spirit as I remembered his life and what God had done for him.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
    vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean
    in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
    is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward
    to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
    spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
    changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones,
    died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth,
    watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
    love of every love the best!
‘Tis an ocean full of blessing,
    ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
    ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory,
    for it lifts me up to Thee!

Even in pain and death Christ can triumph through us!

Thanks, Dave, for your testimony and your life!