“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19).
Every sincere Christian longs for a deeper relationship with Christ, driving them to more effective prayer and Bible study and service. The rich old hymn, “Deeper and Deeper,” reflects this heart cry. Its verses can help focus our thoughts these next five days.
Into the heart of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go, Seeking to know the reason why He should love me so— Why He stooped to lift me up from the miry clay, Saving my soul, making me whole, Though I had wandered away.
“Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (I John 3:1). God’s infinite grace is “a mystery” to us, “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit” (I Corinthians 2:7,10).
These mysteries were revealed by the Spirit primarily to the writers of the New Testament who wrote them down for our instruction through the empowerment of the Spirit (II Peter 1:19–21). Only in His revelation to us can we hope to understand something of His love and mercy and grace, but only through a close heart-walk with Him in the Spirit can we know His heart. “The LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee” (I Chronicles 28:9).
We who had wandered away from Him were saved and made whole, for “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay” (Psalm 40:2). He did this all out of a heart of love. God grant us an ever deeper knowledge of His heart. JDM
