His death is the everlasting guarantee of that love. His gift of salvation to me... His soveriegn offering of union with Him proves to me His unfailing love and care. I long to explore the depths of that holy love. I am compelled to understand the richness in those depths.
"And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you … but you were cast out on the open field … “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' I said to you in your blood, 'Live! … I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine." Ezekiel 16
Thanks Steve, for the reminder of what the cross did. I cannot think of your post without remembering the Crucifixion Narrative - a graphic display of the substitutionary full atonement achieved that day as the Perfect Man was cursed as He stood condemned in my place.
Thanks Josh (and Showbread), for the reminder through music that we cannot attain this life neither by peity nor by indulgence. Both lead to destruction.
But God... the Lamb...
He leads to life. He carries us to life. He redeems our life from the pit. He plants our feet on a Rock and breathes life into our dead soul. He opens our eyes and shows us His love.
I am loving these 2 albums. See Josh's blog for a great review, for he is more concise than I could ever hope to be. :)
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. (Isaac Watts)
Father hear my voice, be it small. Here I am, though I am nothing at all. Dost thou still see something to love in me? If it be, You will carry me away that I might live today
To Christ, who won for sinners' grace by bitter grief and anguish sore; be praise from all the ransomed race, forever and forevermore. (additional lyrics by Showbread)
...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5
... we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6
The Beginning - Showbread