On the Mediterranean Sea in the Bay of Carmel
The sermon highlights God's unchanging and unwavering love for His people, despite their failures and shortcomings.
Robert Murray M'Cheyne reflects on the unchanging and ceaseless love of God, comparing it to the Mediterranean Sea's constant waves that shape the shore. He emphasizes that, like the sea, God's love is ever-present and unwavering, even when we feel distant or dry in our spiritual lives. M'Cheyne draws parallels between the historical desolation of Israel and God's enduring grace towards His people, reminding us that despite our struggles, His love remains steadfast. The sermon highlights the beauty of God's grace that fills our hearts with peace, even in times of barrenness. Ultimately, it reassures believers of God's unbreakable promises and His love for His chosen ones.
Text
LORD, this swelling, tideless sea,
Is like Thy love in Christ to me;
The ceaseless waves that fill the bay
Through flinty rocks have worn their way,
And Thy unceasing love alone
Hath broken though this heart of stone.
The countless smile that gilds the deep
When sunbeams on the water sleep,
Is like Thy countless smile of grace
When I am seen in Jesus' face.
No ebbing tide these waters know,
Pure, placid, constant in their flow -
No ebb Thy love to me hath known
Since first it chose me for Thine own.
Or, if perchance, at Thy command,
The wave retiring leaves the sand,
One moment all is dry, and then
It turns to fill the shore again:
So I have found Thy wondrous grace
Forsake my soul a little space;
Barren and cold, deserted, dry,
A helpless worm to Thee I cry;
Thy face is hid a little while,
But with the morning comes Thy smile -
Jesus once more His beauty shows,
And all my heart with peace o'erflows.
These deep blue waters lave the shore
Of Israel, as in days of yore!
Though Zion like a field is ploughed,
And Salem's covered with a cloud -
Though briers and thorns are tangled o'er
Where vine and olive twined before -
Though turbaned Moslems tread the gate,
And Judah sits most desolate -
Their nets o'er Tyre the fishers spread,
And Carmel's top is withered -
Yet still these waters clasp the shore
As kindly as they did before!
Such is Thy love to Judah's race,
A deep unchanging tide of grace.
Though scattered now at Thy command
They pine away in every land,
With trembling heart and failing eyes -
And deep the veil on Israel lies -
Yet still Thy word Thou canst not break,
"Beloved for their fathers' sake."
18th July 1839, near Acre.
Sermon Outline
- The Unchanging Love of God
- The Constant Smile of God's Grace
- The Unchanging Love of God in Israel's History
- Despite the desolation and scattering of God's people
- God's love remains unchanged and unbroken
Key Quotes
“The ceaseless waves that fill the bay Through flinty rocks have worn their way, And Thy unceasing love alone Hath broken though this heart of stone.” — Robert Murray M'Cheyne
“No ebbing tide these waters know, Pure, placid, constant in their flow - No ebb Thy love to me hath known Since first it chose me for Thine own.” — Robert Murray M'Cheyne
“Yet still these waters clasp the shore As kindly as they did before! Such is Thy love to Judah's race, A deep unchanging tide of grace.” — Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Application Points
- God's love is constant and unwavering, and He remains faithful to His people despite their failures and shortcomings.
- We can trust in God's love and commitment to us, even in the midst of desolation and suffering.
- God's love is not limited by our circumstances, but it remains a deep and unchanging tide of grace.