Boundless Love

Consider this. A king comes to power after years of being relentlessly pursued by his predecessor. His rival is killed in battle, along with most of his family; but now the king discovers a lone surviving prince—the grandson of the former king. He sends his soldiers to bring his adversary’s heir to appear before him. The young prince is terrified. He is certain that his life is in jeopardy. As he steels himself to receive his sentence, these are the words he hears: “Don’t be afraid! … I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” (2 Samuel 9:7)

King David had received abundant grace from God for many years. Jonathan, Saul’s son and Mephibosheth’s father, had shown grace to David when his life was first threatened as Saul’s jealousy grew to rage. Now David shows astonishing grace and generosity to his rival’s descendant.

Now consider this: A religious leader marries a woman who has clearly lived a life of unfaithfulness. Once they are married, she begins to have children, but they are unquestionably not his own. He welcomes each of these children into his life and cares for them; even as his heart breaks with every additional indiscretion of his wife. She leaves him and becomes the slave of another. He is prepared to go on without her; but this is the word he hears from God: “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them” (Hosea 3:1).

Hosea was called to demonstrate the astonishing grace of God in the particularly personal and painful events of his life. The example of the grace he showed his unfaithful wife gave added power and authority to the word he brought to the people of Israel.

Why is the grace of God more amazing than ever? Because we can never fully grasp “how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is” (Ephesians 3:18). God’s love for you is truly boundless. May God’s love fill you with peace and work in you “to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20b).