THE TIME TO DECLARE HIS GREAT LOVE!

THE TIME TO DECLARE

HIS GREAT LOVE!

The Christmas Season has drawn to a close and decorations are being stored for another season.  And we can reflect back over the past year, with its trials, its joys and the road we have traveled with our Lord.  I am thinking back over the Advent Season and the promises that have been given to us in the lighting of the four candles and lastly, on Christmas Eve, the lighting of the large white candle, the Christ Candle.  Each of the four Sundays previous we lit candles of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love.  And each of the messages these candles bring we carry into the New Year.

In this New Year ahead is an unchartered path in each of our lives.  We don’t know what lies ahead for each of us, but as we walk with Jesus we have hope.  He is our hope for the future and each of our days.  Without His hope in our lives, life would be meaningless.  He came to bring us hope, hope for the future, and eternity with Him no matter what may happen in the days ahead.  And then, the joy that He brings into our lives and the songs that He drops into our hearts in worship and praise of our Wonderful Lord.  And along with hope and joy He brings peace that only He can bring.  This world will not offer us peace, but He is our Prince of Peace!  And we remember His love to us.  How can we fathom His love in sending His Son to die for each one of us, the very Lamb of God!  God is Love! 

And when I think of His love and this coming year and the changes that are happening in my own life at the moment, my heart longs to declare to Him how much I love Him.  And my desire is to love Him even more as this year goes on no matter what may happen in my own life.  And I pray that each one of you will have that desire to just draw closer to Him than you ever have been, having a deep longing for His presence.  To put aside the things going on in this world, and the struggles you are facing at the moment and just tell Him how much you love Him in grateful praise.

MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE 

“My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, for Thee all the follies of sin I resign; my gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou, if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, and praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; and say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.  (William R. Featherston, Adoniram Gordon).

This words of this hymn were written  in 1862 by William Featherston, who was only sixteen years old and he passed away before his twenty seventh birthday.  Mr. Gordon later set it to music.  He had

just accepted Jesus as His personal Saviour.  And I wonder about the trials that this young man faced in the coming short years of his life.  Whatever the struggles were he could say, “I love Thee no matter what lies ahead and I love Thee for what You have done for me, and I love Thee for the future I have in You.”

And that is the message that I am feeling this day, and the message for each one of you.  We live in a time of great distress in the world, not knowing what the future may hold, but if ever a time to draw close to Him, to resign any sin that we may have in our lives, to know that if we ever loved Him, it is now time to cling to Him and renew our love to Him.

And we love Him now and remember that He first loved us, purchased our redemption at Calvary.  And we loved Him because He suffered so much for us, and when we remember His great sacrifice for our sin, and we love Him even more as we remember that great love.

And I wonder about that young man who wrote the words to this hymn.  Maybe he knew he would face death at an early age, and could praise Him as long as the Lord gave Him breath.  And He knew that even when He was dying, he would love Him even more.  Maybe someone out there may be facing a life threatening situation right now.  But can you love Him even more as that day comes when you are dying?  Is your heart ready to meet Jesus?  Oh, how He loves you!  Will you be reaching out to Him in love on that day?

And how can we fathom the absolute love we will feel for Jesus when we see Him face to face?  Will we fall at His feet?  Or will you just want to feel His arms wrapped around you?  I know that He is to wipe away all tears from our eyes, but will He let me cry for one moment when I see Him, and try to tell Him how much I adore Him?  And I will be able to say, “If ever I loved You, my Jesus, ‘tis now!

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon