Oh Help Us to Measure

Michael E. Wood

October 19, 2011

… comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:18, 19

To truly know the love of Christ we must know ourselves, and the more we know of ourselves the more we may know the immeasurable love of Christ.

“Know thy self, what a vile, horrible, abominable sinner thou art: For thou canst not know the love of Christ, before thou knowest the badness of thy nature. ‘O wretched man that I am’ (Rom. 7:24), must be, before a man can perceive the nature of the love of Christ. He that sees himself but little, will hardly know much of the love of Christ: he that sees himself nothing at all, will hardly ever see anything of the love of Christ. But he that sees most of what an abominable wretch he is, he is like to see most of what is the love of Christ.” John Bunyan*

Sometimes I’m amazed by that which remains

Of sin in it’s most wicked form,

But God tests our hearts to know every part

For which Christ came and was borne

By Him on the tree to know we must flee

Continually counting the cost;

For in Him alone, God’s glory is shown

To reconcile that which was lost.

With mercy so great, let’s not hesitate

To boldly approach to His throne,

For He is the first and He is the last,

And none of His own He’ll disown.

His covenant’s great by which we forsake

Our sins as He makes them so clear

In love to conform: for which we were born

By His blood and His Spirit so dear;

To His visage above, who answers in love

To all accusations now found,

As to His cross nailed, He justly prevailed,

That grace upon grace may abound.

For that which He finished

Shall not be diminished

By this world, or the flesh, or the devil.

His infinite story;

The light of His glory

Forever we shall in then revel.

Oh then in pleasure,

Oh help us to measure;

Though infinite and without end--

The breadth and the length,

And the depth and the height

That God in love through Christ did send.

For His infinite features

Beyond all His creatures;

Creation together combined

Cannot be proclaimed,

Though infinitely aimed,

Though in Him, who in us has shined.

*Excerpt from, “All Loves Excelling”, by John Bunyan

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