Vast Is His Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed...It was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last...Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices so that they might go to annoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen. He is not here."...God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever...For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him...Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. (Isaiah 53:3-5, Luke 23:44-46, Mark 16:1-8, Acts 2:24, Isaiah 9:6b-7, John 3:16-17, Isaiah 12:5)

How vast the depth and richness of this Love! This Love went to the edge, to the very extreme, that I could know Him. To save me, Love was willing to pay the ultimate price. What alteration Love experienced that I might know true change; what loss He endured that I might become a partaker of His inheritance! Words are insufficient, none are lovely or worthy enough to describe such a Love. I am enraptured by this Love. O, Love, that will not let me go, my cup runneth over~