Ephesians 1:3-6 PHILLIPS Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what he has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care. He planned, in his purpose of love, that we should be adopted as his own children through Jesus Christ—that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of his which has made us welcome in the everlasting love he bears towards the Son.
HYMN – “Here is Love”
Here is love, vast as the ocean, Lovingkindness 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 can never be forgotten, Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.
On the mount of crucifixion, Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers, Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice Kissed a guilty world in love.
Let me all Thy love accepting, Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory, Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me, Thou Thyself hast set me free.
In Thy truth Thou dost direct me By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting, As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless, Drawing out my heart to Thee.
Observation
“Here is Love” is called the Love Song of the Welsh Revival of 1904-1906. It expresses how hearts responded to the redemptive power of God’s love unleashed during that remarkable and miraculous revival. All revival starts with repentance which evokes surrender to God’s will and an urgent desire to share the joy and freedom with others. Like all true revivals, the Message was simple – the redemptive power of God’s love.
Over 100,000 people gave their lives to Christ in the first six months in the Welsh Revival. A great number of these were rough and irreverent coal miners. It is said that the ponies used in the mines had to be retrained to respond to new commands because the miners no longer used the old ones full of curses and swearing. During this time a great number of drinking establishments went bankrupt and crime was reduced so significantly that the police and judges often found themselves without work. This demonstration of God’s grace and love, having Acts 2:38 as its signature, resulted in repentance, confession and the Holy Spirit enduement of power from on high.
This revival was the forerunner of the subsequent worldwide Pentecostal revivals of the 20th Century, including Azusa Street in California. One by one they chose to be “in Christ,” becoming “His holy and blameless children living within his constant care.” One by one recognizing “that glorious generosity of His (Father God) which has made us welcome in the everlasting love He bears towards the Son.” One by one they recognized, embraced and owned their place in the Father’s love for them – “Grace and love, like mighty rivers, poured incessant from above, And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love.” This simple but mighty move of God was a manifestation of love and power which completely transformed thousands of lives one-by-one.
Impact on Me
Revival happens individually, each heart accepting that kiss from Jesus. I can remember when my heart was first flooded with His overwhelming presence, the sensation of floating in the sea of His love, grace, freedom and peace, the weight of my sin, depression and anger being simply and completely washed away, of being swept up into God’s glory by His grace! How do I ever get to a place where I forget, where I trade Him, His presence, His love, for anything of this world? Why would I allow my response to this love to become dull or indifferent? Where and why would I hesitate to share Jesus as the only answer that really makes any difference?
The Holy Spirit has been stirring the embers of His first revival in my heart, asking me to return to my first love by feeding His Fire, by spending more time with Him, allowing Him to continually revive me while I am serving Him by serving others, by praying that my living might be a vessel bubbling over with hope, grace and peace, an instrument in the Redeemer’s hand used to unleash that overwhelming outpouring of His love in hearts – one-by-one – and that I might be faithful and true to Him all the days of my life.
Prayer
Lord, You are God, almighty, everlasting, omnipotent, omniscient, and yet You cared for me, even before I cared for You. You woo me back when I wander and become distracted, You forgive me when I ask and restore me in Your love, peace, righteousness by Your grace. How wide, how deep, how vast is Your love for me! I am so grateful for the Cross, the price paid for me to be firmly and forever Your child with all the privileges of family. Forgive me for letting the fire You set in me to burn low. Stir up and rekindle the flame that I might fully and completely cooperate with the Holy Spirit to use the gifts You have given me to reveal Christ to each one I meet. Lord, endue me with power and anointing to be an instrument of revival in those around me. May many others join me in this prayer. In Jesus’ name I pray.