Love for the Wanderer (from Feb. 4)

“So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:3-4)

“O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free! Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me! Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love; Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!”** (Samuel Trevor Francis, 1875)

To the wanderer, to the lost and confused, to the stained and ashamed, to the reckless and fearful, to the bitter and broken-hearted, to the once-hopeful saint who feels despondent and disqualified, to the prodigal who realizes how lonely the path away from God has become, this message is for you: All is not lost. Your life isn’t over yet. Stop. Stop right where you are, look up, and let this truth wash over you: “I love you,” says the Lord, with tender compassion in His eyes. “I love you with an everlasting love. Return to me. Melt into my embrace. I will cleanse your wounds, heal your heart, renew your mind, and restore your hope. I will replace your shame with joy. Simply return.” O the deep, deep love of Jesus!—let’s bask in it today, and receive the kindness offered to us as we return.

Thank you, God, for your deep, deep love, and for your kindness that leads us to repentance. Thank you for calling wanderers back home, away from destructive ways, into your loving embrace. Amen.

**The complete hymn is available here.