“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” John 15:9
“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” 1 John 4:9
God of love,
I hope that as sayings go these come to mind I need assurance or help. God so loved and Jesus loves me. Verses most Christians can repeat by heart in whatever version they first learnt it! Your love, proved by sending Jesus to show love, be love and give us Your love.
The whole of Your Word, the Bible, tells us of Your love. Your desire to be in a relationship of love with us despite our rebellion, ignorance and sin. Your love, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, is patient and kind. It is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Your love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Wow, that is how You love us. I will never tire of hearing that and how Jesus loved us even to death on a cross. And how nothing can separate us from Your love (Romans 8:3,39).
Today, we want, need to know Your love, feel Your love and understand it is not dependant on us. It is a gift and have to simply humbly accept it.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Suggestions for prayer . . .
God of love,
For our close family. Their individual needs and hopes.
For our extended family, friends, neighbours.
For our fellowship, ministers and congregations. To love one another.
For our king and all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2).
For Parliament, house of commons and Lords. No hidden gossip.
For our NHS to be repaired not patched up. For all who are employed.
For the residents of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia as Storm Boris unleashed the worst flooding recorded in the region for more than two decades.
For Ukraine. Lord God, bring an end to war and an end to violence.
For Gaza, all the Middle East. Step into their midst with Your peace.
For those who foster and adopt children and young adults so they can know they are loved.
For teachers who spot children who need extra help or attention or to be placed in safety.
For those who take your love into and show love and care in hospices and retirement homes.
For us to be secure in Your love and know we are part of Your family. Wanted, cherished, loved.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Tuesday 17th September 2024
A brief story of this worship song is below the lyrics.
Here is love, vast as the ocean,
loving-kindness as the flood,
when the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
throughout heav’n’s eternal days.
On the mount of crucifixion
fountains opened deep and wide;
through the floodgates of God’s mercy
flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
poured incessant from above,
and heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
kissed a guilty world in love.
The text of this hymn was originally in Welsh, “Dyma gariad fel y moroedd,” written by William Rees 1802–1883. It played a prominent role in the Welsh revival of 1904–1905, led by evangelist Evan Roberts (1878–1951) of Glamorganshire. An account printed in 1907, speaks of a young girls voice (Miss Annie Davies of Maesteg) emerging from a meeting in Pontycymer, singing this hymn.
“In the first part of the first day Evan Roberts was overcome, as at his initiation at Blaenanerch. He fell on his face in the pew beneath the pulpit, weeping aloud and interceding. When he was able to calm himself, he rose and left, and did not return till the evening—the service in the meanwhile conducting itself without a break. It was on Friday evening, at the closing service of the mission here, that the voice of a young girl of eighteen, Miss Annie Davies of Maesteg, came into the history of the revival. Professing Christ from childhood, trained in her home to serve Him with her vocal gifts. She sang, with tears on her face and victory in her voice, the mighty love-song of the revival—the hymn of Dr. William Rees: “Dyma gariad fel y moroedd.” The song is of the marvel of Divine Love, flowing as vast oceans of tender mercies in never-ebbing floodtide; of the very Prince of Life dying, dying to redeem our forfeit life.”