O, Love

Two years ago Daniel introduced me to Reformed University Fellowship and their music. Since then I have fallen in love with Red Mountain Music, Indelible Grace, Sandra McCracken, Derek Webb and Matthew Smith. When talented people get together and create beautiful music, it is a wonderful thing. When timeless hymns are reformed to fit with the culture of the time, while still staying true to the theme and original intent of the author, it is very wonderful.

One of these hymns we sung at our wedding, because for both Daniel and me, it has been a reminder of truth through difficult times. It's true, it brought tears to my eyes while I sang it on my wedding day, because I was reminded of God's great, great Love.

O, Love That Will Not Let Me Go seems fit for every occasion: The loss of a loved one, the sickness of a friend, when you or someone you love falls into sin, and when repentance and reconciliation take place; when darkness surrounds you, when burdens oppress you; when it rains, and when the joy of the Lord is irrepressible; when a friend betrays you, when you're all alone, or when you are surrounded buy countless blessings.

My favorite verse is still the third. How often I have sung it to remind myself all in not vain, I cannot even count, but the entirety of the hymn is glorious.

1. 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.
2. O Light that foll’west all my way,
   I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
   My heart restores its borrowed ray,
   That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
   May brighter, fairer be.
3. O Joy that seekest me through pain,
   I cannot close my heart to thee;
   I trace the rainbow through the rain,
   And feel the promise is not vain,
   That morn shall tearless be.
4.  O Cross that liftest up my head,
   I dare not ask to fly from thee;
   I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
   And from the ground there blossoms red
   Life that shall endless be.