HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US

• I was born near the ocean and live near it now; can't imagine moving away from it. Its power always fascinates me; its size puts things into perspective for me whenever I walk along the shore.
• Micah, the prophet, offers us such comfort & assurance of forgiveness in his 7th chapter, verses 18-19: "Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea!"
• Wow! No one can ever see our sin again, because it's buried in the depths of the ocean! Thank You, Jesus!!!
• Enjoy this song by Philips, Craig & Dean, "How Deep the Father's Love For Us," from their CD, "Let Your Glory Fall."

PEACE & MERCY

• I recently discovered the music of The Priests (self-titled CD).
• "Pie Jesu" has become one of my favorite pieces, and it brings a real peace each time I hear it. May it do so for you too. In fact, we will play it during the distribution of the Lord's Supper this Maundy Thursday evening. Here are the lyrics & translation:
• "Pie Jesu" (Lord, have mercy)
• "Qui tollis peccata mundi" (You who take away the sins of the world)
• "Dona eis requiem" (Grant them peace)
• "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God)
• "Sempiternam, sempiternam requiem" (Peace everlasting, everlasting)
• "My peace I give you" Jesus says, even in the midst of our world's chaos.

WHY DID YOU DO THIS FOR ME?

• I found this beautiful ceramic painting below of Christ in Deruta, Tuscany, Italy and couldn't resist its beauty.
• "If God is for us, (and He is!) who can be against us? (No one! Neither me, my own worst critic, nor eventhe devil himself!) He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Indeed, He will! Look at all He has blessed us with!) (Romans 8:31-32).
• Lord, You endured all this for me? The crucifixion, the suffering, the dying, the being rejected by Your Father . . . just in order to save me! What wondrous love IS this that would sacrifice all to bring me, a sinner, back into a relationship with Your holy Father!
• What response can I make, but repent of my sins and desire to live a life that honors You and bring You glory?
• Enjoy this song by Michael Card, "Why?" (from his CD, "Known By the Scars.")