Sunday, March 27, 2016

God's love never fails

There's this song we sing at church:  "Your Love Never Fails."  The chorus goes like this:

"Your love never fails
It never gives up
Never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up,
Never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up
Never runs out on me"

My daughters and all the other children at church love this song, with its simple but powerful chorus.  It is often a bedtime lullaby in our home although it's not a quiet soothing song and all three end up belting out the words along with me.

Tears always trickle down my cheeks at church when we sing it.  I can't help it.

Almost every member of our congregation comes on a bus or van that we send out every week into the community.  Most of our congregation is under age 12 and come without an adult.  Many don't have an adult at the home that are actually caring for them, which makes them functional orphans.  When I am teaching the preschool class we sit together in the front row of the church service as a group, like a little family.  Behind us are the rows of older children sitting in their groups.  When we reach the chorus, suddenly the voices of all the children behind and around me go up with nearly a shout and I tremble to hear the voices of children who face such suffering in their daily lives cry out,
"Your love never fails, it never gives up, never runs out on me!" The fervor and joy evident in singing of His love reminds me that it never fails me and reminds me that it will never fail the children whose voices I love to hear.  "Why should I gain from His reward?  I cannot give an answer.  But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom."
 

Easter Sunday with part of the preschool class
Neena, Emily, and I take turns teaching preschool at Hope Fellowship

I can never express how much I love teaching preschool at Hope Fellowship in White Swan.  I love getting to spend time with the littlest crowd who comes.  It seems such a small thing, but is one of the few specific ways I am able to serve outside of the bounds of my own home right now and it brings me such joy to minister to (and truthfully to be ministered to by) the giant souls who fill these little bodies week after week.   Children who, when they first appear at our church, are reticent and untrusting, blossom like a flower in the love of God that I have to believe reaches out through the hands, arms, smiles, and tears of His people.  Some of these babes blossom fast and bright and others slowly and delicately.  Some seem to close up again when the night falls but carefully they unfold and look up into someone's loving eyes and even sometimes a smile crosses their lips before they can check it.   It is a safe place and I don't think an exaggeration to say often the only safe place for the children and youth of our community.  God's love never fails. 

Happy Easter from my heart to yours.  I hope it was filled with the things and people God loves.  I hope it was filled with the truth that God's love will never fail you either. 

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:13 AM

    AMEN! Glory to God!

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  2. Amen! This is beautiful. How blessed those children are to have someone like you, with acaring heart to teach them about God's love. Those are two of my favorite songs right now also. God's love really does NEVER give up.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  3. happy easter to you are your beautiful family!!

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  4. Amen! Loved this, Sarah.

    ReplyDelete