joy in the depth of the Father's love for us

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast inJesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Stuart Townsend

These were the words that were singing in my heart as I lay in bed very early this Sunday morning. I shed tears of gratitude and relief again into my pillow as I nestled into the security of His love and faithfulness.

This week, and yesterday in particular, and many times in the past few months, as my blog posts show, I have been meditating upon the ways God is making my paths straight, my steps level, and strengthening my "feeble arms and weak knees." When I experienced the empowering and blessing of the course yesterday in Teaching and Training Adults at Georgian College, it felt like that. It was as if I was in my 20's again, preparing for new opportunities in my field of work. It didn't matter what I had or hadn't done with my gifts, abilities and opportunities. What mattered is what I can do now, and what God is leading me into, and how I can steward all that He has given me and what He delights to encourage me to use as I find joy in using my gifts to help others and to do His work in their lives. It was great to witness excellence in presentation and design, and to be called to further excellence in all that I can do myself.

But most of all it is wonderful to have Sunday again, a day set apart in many of its hours to celebrate His goodness in word and music. What a privilege it is to live in a country where we are free to do that openly and peacefully. May those of us who do be willing to preserve that heritage, but most of all may we never lose the awesome sense of the depth of our Father's love for us, and the price He paid to make that a reality in our lives at every level.