2.06.2011

What is love?

I have a near-obsession with words and an affinity for poetry - the older the better!

Because of this, I have always loved the old hymns, and have been so glad to see that a few of them are being revived. Singing this one this morning gave me a much-needed reminder:

Love is not a feeling or state of being; 
It is an action, a "doing" verb.


"Here is love, vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness 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.

"Let me all thy love accepting
 Love thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek thy kingdom only

 And my life be to thy praise.

"
Thou alone shall be my glory;
  Nothing in this world I seek.

  Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me;
  Thou thyself has set me free!

"In thy truth thou dost direct me
 
By thy Spirit through thy Word;

 And thy grace my need is meeting,

 As I trust in thee, my Lord.

"
Of thy fullness thou art pouring

 Thy great love and power on me,

 Without measure, full and boundless,

 Drawing out my heart to Thee.

"No love is higher! no love is wider!
 No love is deeper! No love is truer!
 No love is higher! No love is wider!
  No love is like Your love, o Lord."

Original Gaelic by William Rees, 1832; English translation my William Edwards; music by Robert Lowry, 1876; tag by Matt Redman

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