LOVE FOR GOD

He says what He is doing; He does what He has said.

He is the God of miracles Who raised Christ from the dead.

He’s utterly reliable. He doesn’t change His mind;

Unless somebody asks Him to, for that is when we find,

That though the future’s certain, and nothing can be changed,

He listens to His people, even when estranged.

He answers when we ask Him; It’s not because He must.

But since He loves His people and all He does is just.

He rules over the weather and tells the wind, “Be still!”

He’s done it in the past for us, and in the future will!

His love for us is infinite. His righteousness as well.

It’s nowhere His intention to send anyone to Hell.

That doesn’t bring Him pleasure. It makes Him rather sad.

He wants to be our Father and hear us call Him “Dad”!

He knew what we were facing. He knew we had no “out”.

And so His love for you and me, far beyond all doubt,

Prompted Him to find a way whereby we could return;

And be with Him in all the ways not one of us could earn.

This was His outstretched mercy. This was His gift of grace.

This was the only way for us to stand before His face.

And while we were still rebels, ignoring Him in hate,

His endless love reached out to us and changed our certain fate.

He didn’t have to do it. He could have washed His hands,

And left us for eternity chained up in Satan’s bands.

But He had made His people. Why should the Devil win?

So He sent His blessed Son to smash the power of sin.

He knew that we had perished; of use to Him no more.

But He designed recycling and evened up that score.

So how can we repay Him for all that He has done?

There really isn’t any way. It cost Him His dear Son.

A price that’s so much higher than all mankind could pay.

The only way that could be found to be with Him one day.

He wants us all to love Him. But how can we be sure,

The love we really have for Him is genuine and pure?

He gave the answer to us. A way to check things out.

If we can’t love each other, then surely there’s no doubt,

That we don’t love Him either. It’s love for other folk,

That demonstrates our love for Him or shows it’s all a joke.

The truth is, that’s the bottom line. It always works that way.

It’s never what we say we do; but doing what we say!

Jim Strickland – written Tuesday, 05 July 2011