Sunday, March 20, 2011
"How Deep Is Your Love" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977. It was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. The chorus to the pop song actually expresses a question we might ask of God when we’re in our “deepest darkest hour” – How deep is your love?
In Psalm 42 the psalmist must have felt the despair of a dark hour when he called on God. He was in the middle of great affliction. He was downcast, his bones were suffering, and his tears were his food. Yet his soul, even in its sorrow, yearned for God. In the depth of his anguish, he called out for the depths of God’s love.
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. Psalm 42:7
The Psalmist could see the waters plunging down Mt. Hermon. He could feel the breaks of the waves roll over him. That is where he felt the presence and power of God. He realized that God’s mighty power was stronger than his pain. The Psalmist concluded by reminding himself to put his hope in God and to praise him as Savior.
When we’re in sorrow we too can call on God. Our deep pain needs the deep love of Jesus. “Deep calls to deep.” I have been burdened this week about the suffering of families in our area who are enduring unspeakable pain from the tragic loss of a teenager. I ache for friends with children who are hospitalized with major illnesses. My heart goes out the thousands of Japanese who’ve experienced the tragedy of the tsunami. Some of you may be dealing with your own heartbreak. When we think we’ve lost hope and are in our darkest hour, let’s remember that God’s love is very deep. The old hymn says it well…
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!
In Psalm 42 the psalmist must have felt the despair of a dark hour when he called on God. He was in the middle of great affliction. He was downcast, his bones were suffering, and his tears were his food. Yet his soul, even in its sorrow, yearned for God. In the depth of his anguish, he called out for the depths of God’s love.
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. Psalm 42:7
The Psalmist could see the waters plunging down Mt. Hermon. He could feel the breaks of the waves roll over him. That is where he felt the presence and power of God. He realized that God’s mighty power was stronger than his pain. The Psalmist concluded by reminding himself to put his hope in God and to praise him as Savior.
When we’re in sorrow we too can call on God. Our deep pain needs the deep love of Jesus. “Deep calls to deep.” I have been burdened this week about the suffering of families in our area who are enduring unspeakable pain from the tragic loss of a teenager. I ache for friends with children who are hospitalized with major illnesses. My heart goes out the thousands of Japanese who’ve experienced the tragedy of the tsunami. Some of you may be dealing with your own heartbreak. When we think we’ve lost hope and are in our darkest hour, let’s remember that God’s love is very deep. The old hymn says it well…
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!
What fun we had singing the chorus over and over through the channels and under the bridges where Italians and tourists cheered us on with applause. Many couldn’t understand our language, but they recognized the joy in our expression. God certainly understood our “love language.” I don’t think we should go about our daily life constantly singing our love for Jesus at the top of our lungs (In fact, Paulina and I finally got quite over ourselves after 7 or 8 rounds of the chorus!). However, wouldn’t it be great to feel that sense of abandon and freedom more often when we express our love for God?
