More Simple Love

Frederick Williams Faber, a nineteenth century priest, who wrote many hymns, has penned this most beautiful, inviting, challenging and arresting hymn, calling us to Jesus, entitled ‘There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy.” It is from this most comprehensive and all-encompassing hymn of a dozen verses, that I share just one of those verses with you. It pronounces and promotes most assuredly this truth of fact.

If our love were but more simple,

We would take Him at His Word;

And our lives would be all sunshine,

In the sweetness of our Lord.

We are told without hesitation, that each of us, believers and followers of Jesus Christ our Lord, would have lives that are all sunshine, in the sweetness of Jesus. How can this be? How is this possible for sinners like you and me, believers, followers of Jesus, yes, but people who live in a world of sin and darkness? I for one was hesitant to really accept this as practical and possible, though I would sing the hymn lustily and belt out the words before God and those in hearing range. Yes, I believed that our lives would be all sunshine, In the sweetness of our Lord, but not for this world. I have no difficulty in believing this as possible in the world to come, where there is no darkness, pain, sorrow, suffering, worry and anxiety. But for right now, in a flawed world, where evil runs amok and hatred, greed, selfishness, envy, pride and ignorance vie for center stage, I do not see any truth for us, for this present world. Nevertheless, the writer of this hymn says that it is possible and gives us how it can be possible for each individual.

The condition is clearly stated, firmly set, and vividly articulated, with one little, yet mighty two-letter conjunction, if. If our love were but more simple. Note clearly that the word, if, this subordinating conjunction, is connecting what we have, that is, what is dependent, with what we can have, but do not have, that which is independent of us. This understanding of truth has been made even more practical and everyday for us, more at home and reachable, in this picture verse.

If our funds were but more plenty,

We would live in luxury,

Free from want of poverty,

Free from its anxiety.

Let’s look at what this is saying to us. It speaks of our funds, our assets, or our money. It says to us that if, our funds, suggesting that we all have some kind of funds, or assets, whether plenty or little. All it is saying is that none of us is without assets. Having shown this conjunction, if, we acknowledge our dependency on these assets, which set the foundation for us, if you like. In other words, we depend on money, in our daily living.

Will you now see love in the same way? We all have been given love, so that we all have love, whether in huge or small amounts. Here again, with the conjunction, if, we accept and acknowledge our dependency on love and this sets our foundation. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that we depend on love in our living. However, this all comes with a condition, which is independent of us, that which we do not own.

Let’s return to the scenario with the funds or money. You own money. That is what you have. However, if you had more money, you would live in luxury - free from poverty and free from the anxiety of not having sufficient money, for your daily needs. Now all these freedoms are independent of you, but they can be yours, if you had more money. That is simple to understand, since it is what many of us experience and know about. As you think about it, think of it in relation to love and what is being brought to us in these words.