That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

This is part of Paul’s prayer for the saints at Ephesus and I cannot think of any prayer that is more wonderful and precious than this. Nor can I imagine a more glorious subject than this –“the love of Christ”. Regardless of how many sermons we preach and how many songs we sing about it, the half has not yet been told. Consider these words from the pen of Octavius Winslow (180801878):

Christ is wonderful in His love. Love was the first and eternal link in the golden chain lowered from the highest throne in heaven down to the lowest depth of earth. That Christ should love us was the beginning of wonders. When we endeavor to comprehend that love, measure it, fathom it, scale it-we learn that it has heights we cannot reach, depths we cannot sound, lengths and breadths we cannot measure! Such love, such divine love, such infinite love, such everlasting love, such redeeming, dying love, is an ocean whose eternal waves waft into our fallen world every wonder of God and of heaven.

That Jesus should love such beings as us-that He should love us while we were yet sinners-that He should set His heart upon us– die for us, call us, and finally bring us to glory, knowing what we were, and what we would prove to be-oh, this is wondrous love indeed! Plunge into this fathomless, boundless Ocean of love, O sin-burdened one! It will cover all your sins, it will efface all your guilt; it will flood over all your unworthiness-and, floating upon its golden waves, it will gently waft you to the shore of eternal blessedness!

How often have you wondered why Christ should set His heart upon such a one as you! And is it not a wonder that, amid all your fickleness and backslidings and cold, base returns, this love of God towards you has not chilled or changed? But do not rest, do not be satisfied with your present limited experience of Christ’s wonderful love. It is so marvelously great. This Ocean of love is so fathomless, boundless, and inexhaustible, you may plunge, with all your infirmities, sins, and sorrows, into its fullness, exclaiming, “O, the depth!” The well is deep! Drink abundantly, O beloved!

“I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever!” Psalm 52:8

Meditate a little on the mercy of God.

It is tender mercy. With gentle, loving touch, He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy–as in the matter of it.

It is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself–infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great–that it forgives great sins of great sinners, after great lengths of time; and then gives great favors and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great Heaven of the great God!

It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner’s part, to the saving mercy of the Most High God. Had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire–he would have justly merited the doom; and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself.

It is rich mercy. Some things are large–but have little efficacy in them–but this mercy is:
a cordial to your drooping spirits;
a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds;
a heavenly bandage to your broken bones;
a royal chariot for your weary feet;
a bosom of love for your trembling heart!

It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, “All the flowers in God’s garden are double.” There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy–but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies.

It is abounding mercy. Millions have received it–yet far from its being exhausted, it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever!

It is unfailing mercy. It will never leave you. —-mercy will be . . .
with you in temptation–to keep you from yielding;
with you in trouble–to prevent you from sinking;
with you in living–to be the light and life of your countenance; and
with you in dying–to be the joy of your soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast!  (Charles Spurgeon, from Grace Gems)

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever!” Psalm 89:1

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”–Luke 12:15

G.W. Target wrote a short story in 1973 called “The Window.” It illustrates powerfully the choice we all have of living for self or living for others:

Two men were confined to a hospital room due to their illnesses. One man had to lie on his back at all times; the other had to sit up for one hour every day because of the accumulation of fluid in his lungs. His bed was next to the only window in the room.

Each day for one hour, he would describe to the man in the hospital bed what he saw out the window. The man in bed began to live for that hour; his roommate spoke of the beautiful lake down below, describing the fishermen and the results of their efforts. Another day he described the skyline of the city on the horizon and the busy lives of the people living there. Mountains in the distance, capped with snow were reported on other days.  And so the months and seasons passed with these two men.

Eventually, the man confined on his back began to resent the reports from the window. He was ashamed to admit it to himself, but it didn’t seem fair that his roommate had a window by his bed. In time, this resentment turned to anger, and then bitterness. One night he was awakened by the coughing of the man next to him, desperately needing to clear his lungs. He looked over and saw him stretching to reach the call button for the nurse. It would have been easy to push his own call button, but he didn’t. He chose to offer no help, and in a few moments the coughing ended. It was replaced with labored wheezing, and finally . . . silence.

A few hours later the nurse discovered that the patient by the window had died during the night. His body was removed from the room and the other man said quietly, “Since I am now alone in this room, may I have my bed moved where I can look out the window?”

The nurse agreed, and after the bed had been moved and he was alone in the room again, he summoned all his strength to pull himself up on his elbows. At last he would see all that awaited him outside his window.

It was then that he made the discovery—outside the window there was nothing except a brick wall.

Contentment is sometimes a difficult thing for a believer.  “Why does he have a better job . . . a nicer house . . . a closer family . . . ? “

Why does the other person always get the window seat?  Life just doesn’t seem fair!

Romans 12:15 says to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep,”  meaning that contentment is not only being joyful in what you have been given—great or small—but being happy for others in what they have been given.

According to the words of Christ,  happiness is not found in our possessions . . . but in our perspective.

Consider the needs God has met for you in the past week, and the ways He has blessed you beyond those needs. If you have been envious of others, confess it to Him; ask Him to give you the proper perspective on life to make you content in every circumstance.( Stephen Davey)

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.–Romans 8:26

There is much I would like to say about this verse, but I will be brief. When we are
hurting, confused, and helpless we can find help from heaven in the person of the
Holy Spirit. Life is tough, but God provides help that is sufficient for every need. Those
who put Him first in all things will never lack what they need. These words from the pen
of William Law addresses this subject in a way that few are able to state. Here is an
example of why I don’t try to write all the articles for Morning Manna. I just don’t know how
anyone could say it any better:

When it is the one ruling, never-ceasing desire of our hearts, that God may
be the beginning and end, the reason and motive, the rule and measure, of
our doing or not doing, from morning to night; then everywhere, whether
speaking or silent, whether inwardly or outwardly employed, we are equally
offered up to the eternal Spirit, have our life in Him and from Him, and
are united to Him by that Spirit of Prayer which is the comfort, the
support, the strength and security of the soul, travelling, by the help of
God, through the vanity of time into the riches of eternity. Let us have no
thought or care, but how to be wholly His devoted instruments; everywhere,
and in everything, His adoring, joyful, and thankful servants.

I have no way of knowing what all is going on in the lives of those who read this article. But, I do know that this is a truth we all need–all the time. Everyone has troubles (Job 14:1) and everyone needs what God alone can provide. So, regardless of what you are facing today, it is my prayer that you will be encouraged by these words.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee– Psalm 9:9-10

What a promise! The Lord will be a refuge, a shelter, a hiding place in times of trouble.

Trouble is a part of life. We live in a fallen world and are part of the fallen race. It is impossible to fathom the magnitude of the troubles that encompass the globe, or even a single breast. It often is overwhelming and even those who profess to believe in God sometimes forget that He is the source of help in the time of trouble.

When struggling with trials, sickness, and losses it must be remembered that God is sovereign and He is working in our life even when we cannot understand the unfolding of His providences. When trouble comes to a marriage, or parents are struggling with a rebellious child, it must be remembered that God’s Word is our source of counsel and that God does not forsake them that seek Him.

Satan may suggest your trouble is too great, that there is no hope; but God is the God of hope and it is to Him that you must turn. The psalmist says “they that know thy name will put their trust in thee.” True knowledge of God brings trust.

To understand God is all powerful brings you to believe nothing is too hard for Him. To understand He is merciful gives you hope to call on Him in your time of need. To understand He is faithful assures you He will keep His promises. (From “A Good Thing”)