Cedric Dent - O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go

Jer 31:3 says (this is God speaking), "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have DRAWN you." 1 Jn 1:8 says that the very essence of God's nature is love. 1 Cor 13:8 says "love never fails." And when Jesus said "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will DRAW all men unto me" (Jn 12:32), the Greek word He used for "draw" is "helkō." It carries the intent of being dragged to show how compelling God's love is.

This view of a God whose power is absolute, but rather than use that power to force us into obeisance, DRAWS us with an unstoppable and unfailing love—the very nature of who He is—blows my mind! To my knowledge, it is the only view that doesn't portray a god that uses its power to force allegiance. No, the God that I've come to know is the only God who demonstrated that He loves me more than His own life. Instead of demanding that I appease Him with sacrifice, He came and made sacrifice. This is so beautiful in the extreme that it takes my breath away! This is what brought the following hymn to mind.

O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.