If you stood on Pike’s Peak on a cloudless day, you’d be able to see a wide panoramic view– ninety miles in any direction.
If you stood on the shore of remote Bouvet Island, you’d be 1,500 long miles away from civilization (in South Africa).
If you looked into a clear night sky from a dark location, high up you’d see far-distant stars, at least 4,000 light years away.
And if you peered down into the deep of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, you’d surely marvel that the bottom is seven miles down.
Of course, an extended journey across our planet or into outer space would offer any number of such awe-inspiring extremes.
But few may have contemplated that a similar extreme applies in the spiritual realm. God’s love for us is also awe-inspiring in its width, length, height, and depth.
Take a journey of the heart and experience God’s love that is:
- So wide it includes everyone who believes in his Son
- So long it extends into eternity
- So high it reaches as far as the heavens are above the earth
- So deep he chose to send his Son to die in our place [1]
No wonder the Apostle Paul wrote:
A curious reader might wonder, how do we gain a full understanding of God’s love?
We can begin with affirmation, gratitude, and trust.
AFFIRMATION
Many of us acknowledge the infinite expanse of God’s love, but do we fully receive it?
Satan often tries to niggle at our assurance with such barbs as, “God can’t be pleased with you, given all your faults, poor choices, and rebellious sins. How could he possibly love you?”
Scripture offers perfect comebacks against such lies. One example I turn to often:
Think about the parent-toddler relationship. The child is weak and needy but Dad understands her limitations; he’s ready to lovingly help and guide.
It’s the same in our relationship with God. And I have to admit, in my own weakness and neediness, I sometimes feel like a toddler with him!
But scripture assures me he understands and tends to me with loving compassion and patience.
Even after ten thousand affronts,
God still loves me as infinitely as ever.
–Charles Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, 36
‘You know what else? God doesn’t even see the filthy rags of our misdeeds. He sees us as radiant in Christ’s righteousness and wrapped in luminous love [2].
Affirm such truths as needed!
GRATITUDE
Gratitude fosters appreciation for what God does, appreciation fosters adoration for who God is, and adoration opens our hearts to experience his loving presence.
TRUST
Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (the third image, above) didn’t include an appeal for us to love God more (although that’s also a highly-worthy pursuit), but for us to understand more fully, more confidently, his love for us.
And once that confidence is solidified, we can rest in the knowledge that our loving Father is always ready to bestow what we need, including:
- Peace—as we center ourselves in his presence
- Strength—to endure as we rely upon him
- Empowerment—to fulfill his purpose for our lives
- Protection—from the enemy and all his wiles
- Encouragement—to persevere [3]
And praise God, this journey of the heart will never end. There will always be more to discover, more heights and depths of God’s infinite love to experience!
* * * * * * * * * *
Thank you, Father, for the immeasurable expanse of your love for me. I ask for your guidance, to lead me deeper, higher, and farther into your love. May I frequently affirm your presence, worshiping you with gratitude and adoration, and trusting that your loving attentiveness will see me through to the end.
[1] John 3:16-17; Psalm 117:2; 103:11; Romans 5:6-8
[2] Isaiah 61:10 and Sarah Young, Jesus Always, 41.
[3] 2 Corinthians 13:11; Romans 8:37; Hebrews 10:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Psalm 94:18-19
Art & photo credits: http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.canva.com (3); http://www.heartlight.org.
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The depths of God’s love for us are beyond comprehension but we can accept his love by faith
Amen, Matt! You’ve reminded me of Psalm 8, where David wonders, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them . . . that you care for them? [And yet] you have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor” (vs. 4-5). His honor upon us illuminates his love for us!
God’s infinite and eternal love is exactly what we all need and crave when that hole in our hearts is aching. Only He can connect us to Him when we accept His loving and grace-filled offer to be His child. Happy Valentine’s Day, Nancy!
Amen, Martha! So many people search everywhere for something to fill that hole–career success, good times, relationships (with no commitment), alcohol and drugs, etc. What we need is the Person who made that hole in our hearts for Himself, our triune God. How glorious to contemplate that he made us specifically to enjoy relationship with him (Revelation 3:20)!
God’s love is truly beyond what we can comprehend, but gratitude and trust helps deepen that understanding.
Exactly, Manu! The more we practice gratitude and trust, the more we’e able to see God’s work, guidance, blessing and more in our lives, and the more we see, the more we comprehend of his love.
Wide, long, high and deep. So inspiring, Nancy. Thank you!
Praise God you found inspiration here Wynne! That warms my heart!
God’s love–more than we can begin to understand!
Amen, Linda. Strange as it may seem, there’s heartwarming wonder and comfort in that lack of understanding!
Oh Nancy—what an encouraging blog! I love this one! I love how you started it with giving us visual perspectives of high, deep, long and wide, and then compared that to God’s love with such amazing examples. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Katie. I’m so glad you found encouragement here–praise God!
This is a fabulous statement: “Gratitude fosters appreciation for what God does, appreciation fosters adoration for who God is, and adoration opens our hearts to experience his loving presence.” Thank you, Nancy, for helping your readers comprehend the breadth of God’s love for us. 🙂
I’m so glad you found that statement worthwhile, Nancy. Praise God for his inspiration!
Your words immediately prompted Romans 8:38-39 to come to mind, Nancy –
‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
May He bless your week and your work to overflowing, friend.
Such sublime reassurance in those verses at the end of Romans 8. Thank you for adding them to the conversation. Also, thank you Linda for that sweet blessing!
I know I don’t come near to grasping the love God has for me. I love what you said about gratitude and adoration. I want to pause more in my life and remember that truth, and practice it. Thank you, Nancy.
You’re most welcome, Patty. I don’t think our finite minds could ever fully comprehend God’s love for us, but we can still be grateful, we can adore him, and we can avail ourselves of his presence!
This post was my all-time favorite of your posts!!! ‘A Journey of the Heart’ was so inspiring!!! I will come back and read this again!!
Praise God you found this post worthwhile, Linda! That warms my heart. Thank you for letting me know!