The Welsh Revival of the early 20th century was an amazing thing. God moved so mightily and powerfully the stories are almost unbelievable. Thankfully, not only did this revival produce stories, it also produced at least one hymn… Here is Love.
Here are the first two verses:
Here is love vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood.
When the Prince of Life our ransom shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He will never be forgotten, throughout heaven’s eternal days.
On the Mount of crucifixion floodgates opened deep and wide.
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy poured a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love like mighty rivers poured incessant from above.
Heaven’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love.
Ps 85:10 states “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”
One of the most amazing truths of Scripture is that in the cross and resurrection of Jesus not only do you see God’s justice but you see the Father become the Justifier. The “big picture is not that God needs to be appeased but that God is the one doing the appeasing. He is the agent reconciling the world to Himself.” (Dwight Pryor)
A huge part of the communion celebration is acknowledging that through the faithfulness of the Son Jesus, the Father fulfilled part of the Covenant. He (God) makes us right. He pays our debt. He’s taken our punishment for our unfaithfulness upon Himself. The God who is just has become the God who justifies and we are now able to be called His sons and daughters. We have now been forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, and are being made new. “Heaven’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love” and we have now been blessed.
The next time you take communion may you rejoice in this truth – The Just God is also the God who justifies. He has done what we were unable to do. He is faithful to His Covenant. He is faithful to Himself. And He is faithful to you. Heaven’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty sinner and made him new.
http://www.hymnary.org/text/here_is_love_vast_as_the_ocean