In early February this year, Crossway published my book, The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Changing Power of God’s Unchanging Affection.

Whenever I write a book, I find myself deluded into thinking that the last word has been said about the topic. Never before has this insanely silly thought been brought to my attention as it was today. I woke up somewhat depressed, agonizing over my sin and selfishness, my flaws and failures, my lack of appreciation for all that God is and has done for me in Jesus.

It was then that I logged on to YouTube and listened for the first time to a song that came out last year. Phil Wickham is one of my favorite worship leaders. Together with Brandon Lake they have written The Love of God. When I first saw the title, I thought it was simply a modernized version of the traditional hymn by that name. But I was wrong, but not disappointed. The Holy Spirit has been ministering to my heart today in ways that I haven’t experienced or felt in a long time. He obviously knew that I needed this song. I strongly urge you to go to YouTube and type in their names and the title, The Love of God.

Having written this book on God’s steadfast love, it now feels like a single, tiny grain of sand taken from the billions and trillions of grains of sand throughout the countless shorelines around the world. I have barely touched the edges of the infinite, expansive, glorious, profoundly unfathomable love that God has for sinners like you and me.

So here are the lyrics of the song, equally as good as the melody. I’ve inserted a few comments along the way to describe how this song and the truth it conveys have impacted my weak and wandering heart.

It's so good I almost can't believe it
Far beyond what hearts could ever dream
The God who set the galaxies in motion
Would descend to give His life for me.

Pause and ponder that thought. The God who created and hung in space the trillions of galaxies and multiple trillions of stars, having named each one, has condescended in the person of Christ Jesus to give his life for you and me. How does one comprehend that? My mind shrinks in embarrassment when I try to grasp such immeasurable love and sacrifice.

For what could make perfection bleed for sinners
What leads a King to pay so great a cost
All my life, my heart will sing the answer
Only the love of God

Many books and songs have tried to express the depths of God’s love, making use of countless images and metaphors. But I had never thought of it in these terms, that “perfection” would “bleed for sinners.” Why would the only wise God, the God who has no needs and exists in eternal bliss in the fellowship of the Trinity, the God of unimaginable “perfection”, why would he “bleed” for sinners like you and me? I don’t know, but I’m basking in its truth, and hope to stay riveted on that glorious concept until I see him face to face.

The chorus of the song then follows:

Singing oh, how great is the love of God
He paid our debt on that rugged cross
For all our days, we will sing our Savior's praise
How great is the love of God

Ask yourself, “Just how great is the love of God?” Can it be quantified or computed or reduced to a manageable number? Never! As the Apostle Paul wrote in what I regard as the greatest prayer in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit must strengthen me with power to “comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of the “love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (Eph. 3:14-21).

It's so kind, it leads us to repentance
And it's so bright, the darkness has to flee
Hallelujah, it cleared my guilty sentence
For I was bound but now I stand redeemed

From bondage to redemption! From darkness of sin to the light of salvation. Oh, how great is the love of God!

For what could break the chains of any prison?
What force could rob the power from the grave?
What would trade my rags for heaven's riches?
Only the love of God

Singing oh, how great is the love of God
He paid our debt on that rugged cross
For all our days, we will sing our Savior's praise
How great is the love of God

Ponder it yet again. A love so great that infinite beauty would consent to be nailed naked to a cross!

Though I try, my mind can't comprehend it
It's so high, too marvelous for words
I could sing a million songs about it
And barely scratch the surface of Your worth

I don’t ever expect to fully “comprehend” this love. It exceeds all the words and songs we might write, speak, and sing.

This all my life, the banner I'll be waving
My anthem cry, no matter what may come
And when I rise to walk the streets of heaven
I'll still be singing this song,
For everything that You've done
How great the love of God,
Singing Oh, how great is the love of God (how great is Your love)

The song concludes with these words. But the good news is that there is no conclusion to the love of God. It is endless, limitless, ultimately incomprehensible, but wonderfully true.

He paid our debt on that rugged cross (he paid it all for me)
For all our days, we will sing our Savior's praise
How great is the love of God
Singing Oh, how great is the love of God
He paid our debt on that rugged cross
For all our days, we will sing our Savior's praise
How great is the love of God
How great is the love of God

So, listen to the song and prayerfully meditate on its portrayal of so great a love. I hope that the Spirit will awaken in your heart what he awakened in mine: the life-changing power of God’s unchanging affection.

Sam