“Love Cannot From its Post Withdraw”

As another week nears its scrambly conclusion, and as the pace of life begins to pick up as it inevitably (and unfortunately) does each year around this time, and as I begin to turn my heart and mind towards themes of Advent—themes of waiting, expectation, longing, hope—and as I begin again to ponder once again what it means to affirm and follow a God who I believe has come, continues to come, and will come, it was wonderful to hear Derek Webb’s version of  William Gadsby’s classic hymn “The Love of Christ is Rich and Free” come through the random iTunes shuffler this morning.  

Such a powerful expression of the love and fidelity of the risen Christ. Such good words to accompany our waiting, our expecting.

The love of Christ is rich and free;

Fixed on His own eternally;

Nor earth, nor hell, can it remove;

Long as He lives, His own He’ll love.

 

His loving heart engaged to be

Their everlasting Surety;

’Twas love that took their cause in hand,

And love maintains it to the end.

 

Chorus: Love cannot from its post withdraw;

Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, nor law,

Can turn the Surety’s heart away;

He’ll love His own to endless day.

 

Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;

And love will bring them safe to God;

Love calls them all from death to life;

And love will finish all their strife.

 

He loves through every changing scene,

Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;

Not all the wanderings of her heart

Can make His love for her depart.

 

At death, beyond the grave, He’ll love;

In endless bliss, His own shall prove

The blazing glory of that love

Which never could from them remove.

Song taken from Indelible Grace III: For All the Saints.