Song Spotlight

"How Deep the Father's Love For Us"
Reflecting on the depth of God's love for us is such an important activity. This song by Stuart Townend gives us the opportunity to spend time doing just that. With beautiful melody and powerful lyrics, How Deep the Father's Love for Us lets us plumb the depths of God's love. He is a Father who gave His only begotten Son to suffer in our place. Not only that, but He makes us His treasure and allows us to join in the reward of Christ's death and resurrection. Allow this song to become another "life-long" song that brings us back again and again
to the cross and the love of God.

Listen to the song and hear the story.

Lyrics

by Stuart Townend
© 1995 Thankyou Music
 
Verse 1:
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
 
Verse 2:
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
 
Verse 3:
I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus 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

Printable lyrics sheet

Devotional

How Deep is God's Love?

Last summer I had the opportunity to visit Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. The lake, which actually is a volcano that is no longer active, has stunning blue water and is surrounded by mountains.  It has no inlet or outlet, with its only source being fresh water from rain or snow, This causes the water to be a crystal blue color. Looking at the surface of this lake is breathtaking, but there is something even more amazing about this marvel. It is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,949 feet. That is more than six football fields stacked end to end. It is hard to even fathom how deep that is. This lake, which sits at an elevation of about 7,500 feet, at its deepest spot goes more than a quarter of the way back down to sea level. It does, however have a bottom. There is a limit. God's love, however, does not have a limit. The love of God was of such value to the Apostle Paul that it was the subject of the prayers that He prayed for the churches. In Ephesians 3:18-19, he prays that the Church in Ephesus, "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." Let it be our prayer that we would begin to plumb the depths of God's love for us in Jesus Christ, that our view of Him would not be shallow, but deep. 
Here are some discussion questions focused specifically on God’s love for us through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross:

1. What does the cross teach us about how much Jesus loves us?
2. Why do you think Jesus was willing to die for us?
3. How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus died for your sins?
4. What do you think it means when the Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13)?
5. What does Jesus’ resurrection show us about God’s love?
6. Why do you think Jesus forgave the people who hurt Him while He was on the cross?
7. How can we remember Jesus’ love for us on the cross in our everyday lives?
8. Why did God send His Son, Jesus, to die for us instead of asking us to fix things on our own?
9. What do you think it means that Jesus took our place on the cross?
10. How can we share the message of God’s love through the cross with others?

Bonus Question:
What do you think would have happened if Jesus hadn’t died on the cross for us?

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