Meditation

It is unbought love...You have no cause to boast. He loved you, because he loved you - for nothing. O what a black soul wast thou, when Christ set his love upon thee! Robert Murray M'Cheyne

I've been reading Through the Looking Glass by Kris Lundgaard, a book of reflections on Christ based on the writings of John Owen. Each chapter uses the "looking glass" of Scripture to ponder everything we can know about the loveliness and wonder of Christ. I just finished chapter five entitled "The River of Love," that explores the question of why Christ became man, not why did he need to become man. The answer to that question is love. Christ's love for us springs from the Father's eternal love for his people, in what he determined to do "before the creation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). He carried out his love by sending His Son to shed his blood to save us, and by the Spirit washing us clean with that blood so that we are saved from our sins. God loved us so much he couldn't leave us the way we were; he changed us, making us new creatures that are acceptable to him. From the chapter:

"The Father's determination to save us set off a chain reaction of unspeakable acts of love. He saves us by multiplied acts of love. Stop and consider the chain of his actions on your behalf to save you. Think of what he did in eternity, determining to save you. Think of the mystery of his wise plan to save through his Son. Think of his preparations to save you, all the groundwork he laid through Israel and the covenants. Think of his willingness to turn his back on his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased - for your sake. Think of his power in raising Christ from the dead, and seating him at his right hand to pray for you so that you will endure to the end." (p. 62)

"Don't stop with thoughts of the history of the Father's love as it unfolds in the Scriptures; reflect on how that chain of loving acts extends through your life. Did he show his love to you by bringing you into the world in a Christian home? Did he send a friend into your life at just the right time to bring you to Jesus? Did he reach down to you when you were on the brink of taking your own life? Your testimony of his grace in your life can become an offering of praise to him, and a way to see his glory." (p. 63)

"What drove him who was eternally blessed in his own self-sufficiency to concern himself with such helpless, miserable creatures?...The Son, eager to save his people, hears from the Father the way he can save humankind. The road leads through the darkest heart of difficulties. Of course, no path would slow the Son as God; This plan would be hard, though, because it demanded that he carry it out in his human nature. The plan required that the Son would pity us until there was no one left to pity him when he would need it most. That he would chase his delight to save us until his own soul was crushed under sorrow. That he would relieve our suffering by suffering what we should have suffered. But none of this deterred him from taking up this work of love and mercy for us. On the contrary, his love rose to this plan like waves driven by a hurricane. He heard this plan and said, 'Here I am - it is written abut me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.' (Heb. 10:7; Isaiah 50:5-7)" (p. 65)

"This love is the glory of Christ. It soars over our heads, beyond the reach of our understanding. But we can adore it by faith." (p. 66)