The kind of love we crave, that we will go to any lengths to find, is already present for us here and now. The Lord's love for us reaches into our hearts and soul.
We can travel deep, deep into the depths of the ocean, rocket into the stratosphere, and explore the inner-workings of a human cell. Planets that are many light years away don't seem so far away thanks to satellite telescopes. It's all so remarkable that sometimes it may seem as if there is nothing we cannot accomplish once we put our minds and backs to work to reach our goals. But, if we could touch the ocean floor, colonize Mars, or travel at light speed across the galaxy to faraway planets, what would we discover?
When we reach our destination, is God's love for us any greater? Does where we stand (or float) or what we accomplish alter the love of God in Christ Jesus? The Lord's love is higher than the heavens, as the psalmist writes. God's love for us is deeper than the deepest sea. It reaches further than whatever planet is farthest away from Earth. And yet, God's love is so close to us, closer than our next breath, that each person in the world can enjoy that love today.
God's love for us in Jesus Christ is compassion that went all the way to the cross for us. It went all the way to hell and back for us. That's the love of Jesus Christ for us. He sent all the way to Calvary and hell for sinful humanity. That is the kind of love nobody can discover, it can only be given when it reaches us through the Good News of Jesus Christ. Good News that comes from the very throne of God into the depths of our miserable, sin-ravaged world. Anybody can strap themselves into a rocket ship and be hurtled into outer space or climb into a submarine to descend into the briny deep, but their comfort and assurance cannot be found in sunken galleons or walking on the moon. The kind of love we crave, that we will go to any lengths to find, is already present for us here and now. The Lord's love for us reaches into our hearts and soul. He is with us always, in all ways, in His high and deep everlasting love. He has earned salvation for all and will transport those who trust His works, out of the depths of our misery, high above the clouds of our struggles and stresses and take us into His kingdom where heavenly mansions await us. Those who search for this kind of assurance in other places don't have that assurance.
In the shadow of Jesus' faithfulness and love, we can trust that He will hide us, wherever we may be, from misery and struggles. He will not allow the sin-ravaged world or our own selfish hearts to steal that away from us. God's love in Jesus Christ is an everlasting love that reaches far above the clouds, is greater than the greatest mountains, and deeper than the deepest ocean.
