Rev Kim Kingshill meditation for The Deep Love of Jesus

Rev. Kim Kingshill's Meditations at The Deep Love of Jesus.

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Meditation A: The Deep

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In the beginning there was emptiness

and no form whatsoever.

This emptiness was immensely deep

– significantly profound –

– vast in its nothingness.

And the Spirit of God hovered upon these dark waters

of immensely profound nothingness.

The watery deep; immensely significant;

profoundly there all around us

– above, below, beside, inside, and outside.

In the midst of this murkiness

– this deeply profound nothingness –

God divided this watery emptiness and set an expanse – a thinness – a filmy something to divide

the watery nothingness above

from the watery nothingness below.

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Out of the waters under this heavenly firmament

God gathered and God formed the dry substance.

And this dry substance God called earth.

And out of this earthiness God formed man

and blew into man’s nostrils the breath of life.

So man – male and female – lives,

dry substance in the midst of deep waters.

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From the belly of the great fish Jonah cries:

You cast me into the deep…!

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The soul of the psalmist anxiously pants:

The deep calls to the deep in wavelike billowing…

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Out of a tsunami-like whirlwind

God answers Job’s desperation:

Have you explored to where the source of the seas exists?

Or walked about the recesses of the deep?

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And Psalm 130 begins:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

From my thoughts, my judgments, my conclusions

– I cry out to you, O LORD!

Out of my most intimate feelings

– my desperation, my frustration, my sorrow, my fears –

– I cry out to you, O LORD!

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To Jesus, the Samaritan woman exclaims:

it is hot and dry and

you are before me with nothing but you present

…the well is deep…

how and where can you get this living water?

How and where can I get this living water

to quench the parchness of my very soul?

How and where can We get this living water that quenches the very parchness of our souls?

Come to the waters… come and drink…

Give yourself to Jesus Christ…

Quench the thirst

that rises up from the depth of your soul

with the living water that truly and eternally satisfies…

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For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

from whomevery familyin heaven and on earth is named,

that according tothe riches of his glory

he may grant you to be strengthened with power

through his Spiritin your inner being,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—

that you, beingrooted andgrounded in love,

may have strength tocomprehend with all the saints

what is the breadth and length andheight and depth,

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, thatyou may be filled with allthe fullness of God.

- Ephesians 3:14-19

Everyone here tonight

at the end of our worship experience

will have the opportunity to come forward.

Some of you will receive Christ Jesus into your life

for the first time.

Please listen to your heart. Please take courage.

And come forward into His waiting arms.

For some of you the urgent call is out there

to recommit your life once again to Jesus Christ.

What better opportunity than tonight.

To recommit – To redirect – To begin

a new more determined phase of your Christian walk.

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All of you will have the opportunity to come forward

and to receive prayer confirming

the Holy Spirit tugging

in the innermost, intimate recesses

of your heart and soul.

For now enjoy the moment; enjoy the worship;

enjoy The Deep Love of Jesus

that so warmly encompasses around about you.

Acknowledge without anxiety

that your hands may begin to sweat,

and your heart may begin to pound strangely,

and your breathing may mysteriously quicken.

Be at peace, it is the Holy Spirit

tugging deeply from within you… Notice the tugging…

Accept the tugging…

Soon you will have the opportunity

to respond to that tugging… for now be at peace.

1) The Deep (font Bookman Old Style)

2) The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2, NKJV)

3) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27, NKJV)

4) Jonah cries: You cast me into the deep…!

- Jonah 2:3

5) The deep calls to the deep in wavelike billowing…

- Psalm 42:7

6) “Have you journeyed to the sources of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?”

- Job 38:16

7) Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

8) The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? (John 4:11, NKJV)

9)¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19, NKJV)

10) Be at peace, it is the Holy Spirit tugging deeply from within you…

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Meditation B: The Deep Love

Are you feeling the Holy Spirit tugging deeply

from within you? Is The Deep calling the Deep?

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19^th century British poet

Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach…

I love thee to the level of every day's most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely… I love thee purely…

I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears,

of all my life!

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Love rises up from deep within;

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Love touches profoundly from somewhere ‘out there.’

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Love is ‘out there’ as we come to know God as

the compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” Moses knew Our God do you know Our God? (Exodus 34)

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Love rises up from ‘deep within’ and can be found in Jacob’s sorrow upon losing his son, Joseph.

Jacob refused to be comforted,

‘In mourning I will go down to my grave.’

(Genesis 37)

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Love is ‘out there’ pursuing us as we rest securely

in the assurance of the Divine Shepherd,

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you

all the days of your life… (Psalm 23)

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Such ‘deep love’ can be found in Ruth’s refusal

to leave her mother-in-law, Naomi.

‘Where you go I will go,

and where you stay I will stay.

Your people will be my people and your God my God.’

(Ruth 1)

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God promises the prophet Isaiah,

Though the mountains be shaken

and the hills be removed,

yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken…

(Isaiah 54)

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The wedding invitations my wife, Ceu, and I sent out included these 2 verses from Song of Solomon:

⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death,
its jealousyunyielding as the grave.

It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
⁷ Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot sweep it away.

If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house

for love, itwould be utterly scorned.

(Song of Solomon 8)

Love is not merely the affection

one has for another that culminates

in vows at weddings.

Love is this, but Love is much more…

Love is profound, intense, and immense;

Love is awesome and wonderful

and is the foundation of God’s attitude toward us.

We are indeed His bride.

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As Ceu and I walked down the aisle

the congregation sang this hymn from John Wesley:

Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of heaven to earth come down;

Fix in us thy humble dwelling;

All thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,

Pure unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with Thy salvation;

Enter every trembling heart.

Love not only follows us but pursues us…

Love is steadfast and unfailing…

Love cannot be shaken or removed.

Do you feel the Holy Spirit lovingly tugging at you

from within?

You will have the opportunity to come forward

and confirm in prayer this tugging from Holy Spirit…

Don’t ignore it… Don’t resist it…

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The old chorus prods our very soul

and touches our inner spirit:

Calling for you, calling for you…

The Savior is calling for you,
Calling, calling…

The Savior is calling for you.

Away to the fountain, the life giving fountain,

Its soul cheering waters your strength will renew;
So come while the day beams of mercy are shining... The Savior is calling for you.

[Slow fades in and out…]

1) The Deep Love (font Bookman Old Style)

2) How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach…

I love thee to the level of every day's most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely…I love thee purely…

I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

3) Love rises up from Deep Within;

(font Bookman Old Style) Slide A

4) Love touches profoundly from somewhere ‘Out There.’

(font Bookman Old Style) Slide A: addition 1

5) ⁶ And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

- Exodus 34:7, NIV

6) ³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

³⁵ And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

- Genesis 37:34-35, NKJV

7)     ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
         All the days of my life;
         And I will dwellin the house of the LORD
         Forever.

- Psalm 23:6, NKJV

8)      ¹⁶ But Ruth said:
         “ Entreat me not to leave you,
         Or to turn back from following after you;
         For wherever you go, I will go;
         And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
         Your people shall be my people,
         And your God, my God.

- Ruth 1:16, NKJV

9) ¹⁰ Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

-Isaiah 54:10, NIV

10)       ⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,
   like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
   its jealousyunyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
   like a mighty flame.
⁷ Many waters cannot quench love;
   rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
   all the wealth of one’s house for love,
   itwould be utterly scorned.

- Song of Solomon 8:6-7, NIV

11) Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down;

Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Pure unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart.

- John Wesley

12) Calling for you, calling for you… the Savior is calling for you,
Calling, calling… the Savior is calling for you.

Away to the fountain, the life giving fountain,

Its soul cheering waters your strength will renew;
So come while the day beams of mercy are shining...

The Savior is calling for you.

- Fanny Crosby

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Meditation C: The Deep Love of Jesus

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⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water.

Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him,

“How is it that You, being a Jew,

ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”

For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her,

“If you knew the gift of God,

and who it is who says to you,

‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him,

and He would have given you living water.”

¹¹ The woman said to Him,

“Sir, You have nothing to draw with,

and the well is deep.

Where then do You get that living water?”

¹³ Jesus answered and said to her,

“Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,

¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water

that I shall give him will never thirst.

But the water that I shall give him

will become in him a fountain of water

springing up into everlasting life.”

- John 4:7,9-11, 13-14

It was midday and the sun was burning hot overhead.

The Samaritan woman found herself

at the same well with Jesus.

She, a good woman, arrived at the well

because men working in the fields nearby

needed water to slake their thirst;

She, a good woman but a Samaritan,

an outcast and looked down upon by others,

thirsted not only for water but for something more,

something to quench the parchness in her soul.

How about us? What brings us here tonight?

We may not be under the heat of the noonday sun

but there is a thirst inside our souls.

Make no mistake about it:

God is here in our midst tonight.

Could He be asking each one of us here tonight,

“Give me a drink?”

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And what would we give Jesus in return

to quench His thirst?

We, who often feel rejected,

sometimes feel outcast and looked down upon;

We, who thirst ourselves for something more;

We are asked by Jesus

to give Him a drink!

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What would you give Jesus to slake His thirst?

There really is nothing we have to offer the Son of God. Tell me, what is it that you have

that would quench the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Dig deep; search inside yourselves.

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Nothing! I really have nothing to give you Jesus!

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Jesus says to us the same thing

that he said to the Samaritan woman:

“If you knew the gift of God,

and who it is who says to you,

‘Give Me a drink,’

you would have asked Him,

and He would have given you living water.”

Jesus invites us to ask him for the drink.

Have you asked Jesus to quench your thirst?

Have you asked Jesus to fill you with living water?

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But like the Samaritan woman, we exclaim,

“Sir, You have nothing to draw with,

and the well is deep.”

Can you hear the lack of trust in her reaction?

Do you feel her heart full of doubt?

“Jesus, you’ve got nothing but yourself

and the well is deep!”

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That’s it in a nutshell, isn’t it?

The well of salvation is deep. It’s deep, my friends. This is no superficial, surface issue before us tonight. We are contemplating life: Life, itself!

Jesus, the well is too deep!

The well of my inner soul is too deep.

Sometimes I don’t even know

how to reach deep down inside of me!

And Jesus, you’re here with nothing but yourself!

Jesus himself is the rope to reach into the well;

Jesus himself is the bucket that scoops up the water. Jesus promises each one of us here tonight

that he will give us living water!

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And there’s more!

Jesus says,

‘Drink of me and you will never thirst again!’

Drink of me and you will live life

as if a fountain of water is springing up within you.

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In fact this gushing fountain of water feeling of life

will be an everlasting reality in you!

It is too unbelievable! Can this be real!

The Deep Love of Jesus!

Christ’s Love is deep, deep, deep.

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‘Come to the Waters.’ The prophet Isaiah calls out.

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters;

And you who have no money, Come, Buy and Egat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

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² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

- Psalm 42:2, NIV

The psalmist cries out,

‘When? When? When can I go and meet with God?

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Beloved, the time is now.

The time for you to come and appear before God is now.

Does not your soul pant for the water

that truly quenches?

My brother, My sister,

What more excuse do you need?

What is your reason to turn away?

Jesus Christ is here in our midst…

Do you not sense a supernatural presence

blowing about right now?

Drink, of his presence!

Drink his loving presence

into the deep recesses of your very soul.

Accept Jesus into your life.

He is promising us,

just like he promised the Samaritan woman,

all we need to do is to ask Jesus for living water

and it will be as if a fountain is gushing from within.

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A fountain of love from deep within our very being.

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The Deep Love of Jesus.

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The Deep Love from Jesus,

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The Deep Love for Jesus.

1) The Deep Love of Jesus (font Bookman Old Style)

2-6) ⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to ger, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
¹¹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?”

¹³ Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,

¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

- John 4:7,9-11, 13-14, NKJV

7) Give Me a Drink (font Bookman Old Style)

8) What would you give Jesus to slake His thirst?

9) I have nothing to give you Jesus…

10)¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

- John 4:10, NKJV

11) ¹¹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.

Where then do You get that living water?”

- John 4:10, NKJV

12) The Well Is Deep

13) Living Water

14) A Fountain of Water Springing Up Within You

15) "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.

- Isaiah 55:1, NKJV

16) ² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

- Psalm 42:2, NIV

17) The Time is Now

18) A Fountain of Love from Deep within Our Very Being.

You may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:18-19