Worship Arts Notes ♫♫

We must never underestimate the power of love in our human relationships – whether marriages, family, business associations, or friendships.  The divine love of God for man far excels all other forms of love.  

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” in one of Charles Wesley’s finest hymns.  This text touches on various elements of Christian doctrine.  It extols the love of God as expressed in the incarnation of Christ.  Then it refers to the Wesleyan concept of entire sanctification – that any believer might live without consciously sinning and thereby find the promised “rest” mentioned in Hebrews 4:9.  The “Alpha and Omega” of verse two (first and last letter of the Greek alphabet) also reflect this Wesleyan teaching, that the experiences of conversion and sanctification are thought of as the “beginning of faith” and the “end or object of faith.”  The second  stanza emphasizes the truth that the Spirit of God indwells the temple or body of each believer, while the fourth stanza anticipates the glorious culmination of our faith when “we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.”     From “Amazing Grace, 365 Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions” by Kenneth Osbeck.

As we sing this hymn, keep in mind that it is a prayer — that you are asking God to dwell in you — to visit you with his salvation — to enter your heart.