It’s a pronouncement of what’s true, a reminder of what we’ve received. Who can measure the greatness of the love of Christ.

A STORY ABOUT LOVE

An old atheist, a self-made man and respecter of Science, held his ground his whole life. He believed that the church sought power and control and that religion came in too many forms to count.

He couldn’t deny, however, that life was magnificent. He cited the structure of a cell, and conceded that when he saw the room sized model of one at the 1964 World’s Fair, he knew there must be a God. And yet, he saw no evidence that God had done anything more than created the world and left.

But when this man was 82 years old, when his self-sufficiency was on the decrease, some friends stepped in and took care of him. His family lived out of state, and with no strings attached, his friends took over every roll that family would have done. They handled health insurance, home health care, provided regular companionship, meals, and managed his finances. They had been doing this for two years when another friend came and shared the gospel with him and invited him to receive Jesus as his Savior. He later told his daughter that the reason he did receive Jesus, after all these years, was because of this great love that had been shown to him. Because of that love he knew that Jesus was real and that God was involved. He died of Parkinson’s Disease another two years later, and though he suffered from the disease, his peace only increased.

The love of Christ is powerful. It’s demonstrated through his people. It’s wider and deeper than we can ever imagine.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the 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 3:14-19