An old country Gospel song starts with: “So many reasons why I love the Lord; so many reasons I can’t count them….“
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee” has been ranked by many as the greatest love poem of all time.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height,
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight;
For the ends of being and ideal grace…
Browning wrote the poem to her husband. But another expression of love predates and eclipses Browning’s love poem to her husband.
In earlier years, he was a rugged fisherman with weathered skin from exposure to the elements. Fishing wasn’t an easy job, nor was it all that glamorous, but it kept food on their table in Capernaum on the coast of Lake Tiberias. Everything changed for this man when he met Jesus. Peter’s life was transformed. He became a fisher of men and a devout follower of Christ.
If you ever questioned Peter’s love for Christ before the crucifixion, you should have no doubts about his love for Christ post-resurrection. Peter loved Jesus more than words could ever express, and more than one life could ever show. Peter would ultimately lay down his life for Christ as a martyr and consider it the highest honour.
Peter wrote a letter to other believers enduring intense hardships and brutal persecution. Some of them would eventually become martyrs, too. He didn’t tell them to find their strength from sheer human willpower. He directed their minds and hearts to none less than the One he personally adored, loved and worshipped.
…you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9 ESV
Peter knew that just the mention of His Name would revive their fainting spirits and help to fan their flame of love and devotion to the Lovely Man whose blood was more precious than corruptible silver or gold. He laid down His life on the cross. Peter had seen Him and loved Him. But he was writing to Christians who hadn’t yet seen Him, but he knew they loved Him.
Why would they love Him? The same reason you love Him today. You haven’t seen Him yet, but don’t you love Him?
Why He would love me will always be a mystery, but there’s no mystery as to why I love Him. Why do you love Him? Psalm 116 begins like this: “I love the Lord because…” If you were asked to give three reasons why you love the Lord, what would you say?
Click here to visit the Theodore F. Williams Tribute Gallery on this site
If you are thinking of a stanza of a hymn that expresses the love and gratitude of a Christian’s heart towards Christ, take a moment to share it in the comment section below.
Can you relate to these words?
I Love Him
I love Him because He first loved me.
I love Him because I was once in the darkness of my sins and facing a lost eternity in Hell, but He intervened and saved me.
He suffered, bled and died for my sins.
He met my need completely when I was bankrupt. He paid my debt of sin – cleared it off completely.
He rescued me.”
“I’ve read about Him. I’ve studied what He’s like.
I’ve mulled over in my mind the words He spoke and the miracles He performed.
I’ve considered His compassion, His gentleness and tenderness;
I’ve been warmed by His humility and lowliness and the poverty He took upon Himself so I could be made rich in Christ.
I’ve wept; I’ve smiled; I have sung His praises at the top of my lungs;
I’ve been choked with emotion, and my eyes have been moistened as I think about Him.
My heart has raced with excitement knowing He is alive and I will see Him in all His splendour.
But — as of yet, I haven’t seen Him with my very own eyes. I can hardly wait.
Already, I’ve rejoiced “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
Dear Child of God – as dark as the ‘now’ may be – the ‘future’ is incredibly bright. As deep as your waters may be and as dark as the night may get, a thrilling day awaits you. The ultimate outcome of your salvation? You shall see Him as He is!
Take a moment just now to tell Him why you love Him so.
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
A verse has touched me often is Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” So the moment that I trusted in Christ, I was not only delivered from eternal judgment but was given every spiritual blessing and in Christ. Many do not understand the difference between our standing in (or relationship to) God/Christ and our state (or fellowship with) God/Christ. Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our permanent standing/relationship blessings are dependant alone on our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who cannot fail. Our state/fellowship is up to us and how much we live in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” However as a parental relationship is not changed by the ups and down of family fellowship, so the same applies to believers in Christ. The following article needs further development but I trust that it is a help. https://wallingtongospelhall.org/the-spiritual-blessings-or-gifts-and-identity-of-the-believer-in-christ/
1. Lord Jesus I love thee, I know Thou art mine.
2. I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me.
3. I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow.
Tis Thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus, tis Thou