His Vast, Eternal Love for Us

2/13/2016

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.”
Psalm 103:11

One of my fondest memories with my daughter, Laura, occurred in the mountains of NC in the late 1990’s. She and I had just built a fire ring by the side of the creek at our cabin. It was a cool, crisp April evening, our first fire was going in the fire ring, and the sky was radiant with stars. We decided we just couldn’t go inside to sleep, this was too special a moment. I went inside, grabbed two sleeping bags and pillows and we stayed up most of the night just praising God in song, reading Scripture and praying. All this as we watched the stars slowly revolve over our heads.

God’s lovingkindness towards us is as high as the heavens are above the earth. When I gaze at the vast canopy above me that is filled with more stars than we could possibly ever count, I can’t help being overwhelmed by the vast, everlasting Love of God.

The God of the universe, the One who made all the stars and galaxies, made the tree that this cross was made from…and “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.” (Philippians. 2:6-8)

This is how much He loves you and me! His matchless grace and lovingkindness is everywhere. I can't explain it, I can't fathom it. There's no other love that compares to our Father God's vast love for us.

Long before you or I even gave Him a thought, He knew exactly how He would demonstrate His love to us. And that was to NOT give you what your sins deserved. But He gave His Son what our sins deserved. And to give us the gift of Himself. And an invitation to live forever with Him.

He unconditionally loves us!

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

A few years ago astronomers decided to study one of their favorite objects in space, The Whirlpool Galaxy. They kept zooming in to get a closer look at what they called the "Darling of the Universe." What they saw in the very center of the galaxy is pictured below. I promise you, this is an unaltered photo I took directly from the NASA website called Astronomy Picture of the Day. Scientists call it the X Structure in the core of the Whirlpool Galaxy.

I’m not trying to make a scientific case, but the X Structure is huge! The beams reach 1100 light years across and the diameter of the beams is 100 light years. (A light year is equal to 5.88 TRILLION miles!) You can call it the X Structure in the core of the Whirlpool Galaxy, or you can call it a cross. But, could it be God's vast, eternal love, the Lover of our Soul, “Jesus, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)

It could just be a coincidence. But isn’t it amazing! 31 million light years away, this has been beaming all across the heavens since creation.

What are you facing? Depression, divorce, abandonment, shame, guilt, loneliness, wrongly accused, cancer, bankruptcy, or the darkness of death itself. There is NOTHING that can shake you out of the hand of God. He is not only holding the whole universe in the palm of His hand, He is holding you. His lovingkindness and grace is enough to hold onto you and to bring you through it all.

Father, Your love leaves me dumbfounded. The vastness of Your love towards me I can’t even grasp. But I come before You today rejoicing in Your goodness. Even when times are dark, You are good. Thank You, Father that You love me too much to let me go. I trust You completely. I Love You.