God’s Love in Every Molecule of Our Being

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, March 26, 2025

The week of the third Sunday in Lent

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key verses for reflection from today’s Romans reading:

5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

You will find the full text of today’s Romans reading at the end of this reflection.

Lectionary Readings (BCP, 954)

AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82   

Jer. 8:18-9:6; Rom. 5:1-11; John 8:12-20

Today we celebrate the Feast of Richard Allen. (See below.)

David's Reflections

The late Gerald G. May, Episcopal psychiatrist has written:  "God is far more intimate with us than human parents ever could be, even closer than a pregnant woman is to her unborn child.  God's love pervades us, flows through every molecule, vibrates every particle of our being." *

What a stunning image--God loving us and our sharing such a union with God.    Romans 5 presents us with just such an image.  First, this paragraph presents the image of God pouring out divine love into our hearts through the Spirit, like someone fills a glass with wine.  "Has been poured" refers to one particular moment, perhaps baptism, a moment of anointing with God's presence, but that pouring out has made us forever God's and God forever ours.  As Paul puts it in verse 10, "we will be saved by his life."

Second, we have the image of an act of God in history that corresponds with the gift of that love--the death of Christ.  Christ has died for us, even though we have not loved nor served God.  Quite the reverse, we have rebelled against God.  As one of our Eucharistic prayers says, “. . . when our rebellion took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death.”  Our rebellion made the cross happen, but God's love plowed through our rebellion and refused to be alienated by it.  Jesus died for us when we were "weak," powerless to affect our own destiny or alter our relationship with God.

Martin Luther commented poignantly on verse 5:  "In our hearts, i.e., deep down in the innermost parts of the heart and not on the surface of the heart in the way foam lies on water." + A modern commentator has said, "When God pours his power of love into our hearts, this takes control of us in the center of our personality and makes us its own." #

Our hearts can condemn us; shame can curl up within like smoke from a fire. Surely God does not love me, we reason. Much happens to us that could convince us that God is not loving;  the unfairness of life screams at us that God does not care.  For instance, a high school youth and a mother who lost a loving father to a heart attack.  The mother said to me, "I am angry.  This is not fair."  And, she was right.  It IS not fair.  But, God’s love, poured out in our hearts, flows like an energy through us, carrying us through those moments into a place of deeper peace, deeper assurance, and more profound hope.

Only by the most persistent resistance and determination will we succeed in missing the experience of that love. Only with persistent resistance  to that love will life’s adversities have a chance to embitter us and snatch our hope away. I am convinced that God wants us to know we are beloved, not just in our heads but in our hearts. That loving presence brims over within us like a cresting mountain stream.

If we are living without that awareness, we can invite God to awaken within us a sense of God’s love. And, that awakening could come in a variety of ways—during the receiving of communion; on the heels of the love of a person; in a moment of awe at a sunrise or a symphony or a poem; during a routine exercise of devotion or contemplation; or in any number of surprising ways.

Outside the window of my study in my former residence on US 301 north of Richmond, Virginia, a flowering camellia bush stood between me and the view of all else.  One winter morning I noticed that its bare, slender, fragile branches were covered with ice, little hard droplets lining the lower edge of each limb, catching the sun's rays like little prisms.  Yet a few weeks later, she was totally coated with green leaves and white blossoms, glowing pink in the early morning sun.  She had persisted through the winter of despair into the spring of hope. May such persistence mark your journey and mine.

Rilke’s poem captures something of the divine immanence and persistence.

I am, you anxious one.

Don’t you sense me, ready to break

into being at your touch?

My murmurings surround you like shadowy wings.

Can’t you see me standing before you

cloaked in stillness?

Hasn’t my longing ripened in you

from the beginning

as fruit ripens on a branch?

I am the dream you are dreaming.

When you want to awaken, I am that wanting:

I grow strong in the beauty you behold.

And with the silence of stars I enfold

your cities made by time.@

* Gerald G. May, Addition and Grace, p. 122.

+ Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, p. 162.

# Ernst Käsemann, Commentary on Romans, p. 135.

@Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke’s Book of Hours:  Love Poems to God, trans. Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy, I.19.

Collect of the Day, The Third Sunday in Lent

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 218)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Richard Allen, founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (died 27 Mar 1831 CE).

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/richard_allen.htm

Collect of the Feast of Richard Allen

Loving God, who makes us all your children by adoption in Jesus Christ: May we, following the example of your servant Richard Allen, proclaim liberty to all who are enslaved and captive in this world; through Jesus Christ, Savior of all, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent

Give ear to our prayers, O Lord, and direct the way of your servants in safety under your protection, that, amid all the changes of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be guarded by your mighty aid; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Weekday Eucharistic Propers, p. 30)

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)

For the Diocese

O God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese to a goodly fellowship of faith. Bless our Bishop, _____, all other clergy, and all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (BCP, 817)

A Prayer for Light

O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)

Daily Office Epistle, Romans 5:1-11

5:1Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer