I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving-kindness (Jer.31.3)
Pure is Your ocean and boundless
Depth without limits, and free
Power and strength beyond knowing
Cleansing and giving, providing
Is this Your love for me?
Rest as I would in its shallows
Marvel at depths yet to see
Or carried along by strong currents
Tossed to and fro like a penance
Such is Your love for me
Strong the delight of Your river
Twisting, on course for the sea
Torrent, then stillness, then movement
Tranquil, then shadowed, then sunlit
Is this Your love for me?
Sit on the bank as I’m minded
Think of its path yet to be
Or borne along, unseen the ending
Knowing and feeling, engulfing
Such is Your love for me
Deep is Your well beyond measure
Crystal and clear, none can empty
Filled up afresh, and for always
Poured out, life-giving, yet stillness
Is this Your love for me?
Drink from this well when I’m thirsty
Surge up, my life’s destiny
Or drawn out for those who are dying
Restoring, refreshing, reviving
Such is Your love for me
Wide is the gate and broad is the road
that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road
that leads to life, and few find it (Mt.7.13-14).
Father, Your love like an ocean
Supports, supplies and enfolds me
Yet others choose ‘breadth’ and
destruction
In ‘narrow’ they see limitation
In bondage they strive to be free
My child, My love surrounds them
Is there for their need, always shall be
But they must relinquish their own-love
Corrupted, decaying, their self-love
Real love flows only from Me
Father, Your love like a river
Sweeps me onward in time yet to be
Then why does humanity doubt You
Go loveless through life and ignore
You?
Why does blind man not see?
My child, My love supports them
But it’s My river, and ends in My sea
So their independence must yield now
Come humbly, take hold of My hand now
Ere their soul ceases to be
Father, Your love fills my being
Uprising and gracious and free
Why then does mankind go empty
Hollow and drooping and thirsty?
Is Your well only for me?
My child, choice is their heirloom
It’s their future, their reason-to-be
But you, with foresight, I chose and selected
Drew with love and compassion, protected
So that one day you would choose Me
David Plum 2006
Protection Against the Hurts of Life
(Elsie - Bradford)
It's the little hurts of life that go so deep
The little irritations that make us lose our sleep
We lay there at night with thoughts in our head
Critical, resentful, we toss and turn in our bed
The molehills become mountains that we cannot climb
The devil enjoys it, he's having a good time
But our Father waits patiently for us to call on Him
Only He can put things right again
So as we pray to our Father above
Protection covers us with a mantle of love
A seamless garment - the full armour of God
Under its protection - we abide in His love
So hold it close about you, wear it every day
Then the negative feelings will soon disappear
Because love knows no retaliation
It overcomes the irritations.