The Deep Kindness of His Love

The Deep Kindness of His Love
GO DEEP!
Terry R. Baughman

“My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love. Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow over my soul, carrying me away, cascading over me like a thundering cataract” (Psalms 42:7 TPT).

Considering the vastness of God's love, Frederick Martin Lehman (in 1917) wrote, “Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure -- the saints’ and angels’ song.” In effort to begin to comprehend God's love we resort to poetry to capture the essence of its greatness. 

We turn to the Psalms in order to find voice and adequate terms to express the majesty of God’s kindness toward us. David wrote, “Your righteousness is unmovable, just like the mighty mountains. Your judgments are as full of wisdom as the oceans are full of water. Your tender care and kindness leave no one forgotten, not a man or even a mouse. O God, how extravagant is your cherishing love! All mankind can find a hiding place under the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 36:6-7 TPT). There is room for all under His covering. His cherishing love is extravagant. A contemporary songwriter said, “There's no end to Your love, You’re with us, … There's nothing in this world, that could take You away, You’re with us!” (Written by Reuben Morgan & Dylan Thomas, Hillsong).

Nothing demonstrates God’s love like His response to our great need. The wretchedness of our condition fails to diminish God's great love. In spite of our unworthiness, His grace is plenteous. John Newton penned the song, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see.” This former slave-trader, overwhelmed with his sinful life, found God’s grace to be far beyond expectation, and God’s favor to be faithful to meet his need.

It seems God delights in demonstrating His great love to humanity. The most sinful individual, the most impossible situation, the most flagrant of offenders, God reaches out for them all to love them to the place of salvation. He draws them to the cross, forgives their sin, and showers them with grace. There is no way we can comprehend that kind of love, or explain the far-reaches of His redeeming grace. 

Love is a powerful force for good, and God is love! While we were still in our sins, Christ died for us that we might be saved. (See Romans 5:8.) John said it best, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJ).

Our great need draws the response of God. There is something about the despair of the afflicted that attracts the compassion and care of the Savior. In the midst of ministry Jesus saw the tremendous need of humanity. Matthew said, “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 NKJ). Or as the Psalmist said, “My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love.” 

When we approach God in humility we will find an abundance of grace. Scripture states, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NKJ). Recognizing our need is the first step to redemption. When we come face to face with our failure, we find the grace to repent and be reconciled to God. John said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NKJ). God will meet us in love when we call out to Him in our deep need. We will find deep kindness in Him!
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Theme passage:
“Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).