O Boundless Salvation



Northern Oregon Coast



I was up in Northern MN the other day working.  After my meetings I took a side trip and found myself standing on the shore of a very large lake (Mille Lacs I think).  It reminded me of the ocean and then I thought of how much I miss the ocean. 

I am not sure exactly what meaning the ocean holds for me or what about it intrigues me so.  Something about the vastness of it all reminds me of my own nothingness in the scheme of life and yet how very important I am to the Savior at the same time.  I realize that the Lords great atoning sacrifice was for me -That if I were the only person to be on this earth who suffered the fate of sin, the savior still would have come even to redeem me.  I think of William Booth’s statement that “The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender.”

The northen Oregon Coast

One of my favorite hymns (and I have many) is one penned by General William Booth. I think of it whenever I stand at a place like this on the coast:


O boundless salvation! deep ocean of love,
O fullness of mercy, Christ brought from above,
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, now flowing for all men,
Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me!

My sins they are many, their stains are so deep,
And bitter the tears of remorse that I weep;
But useless is weeping; thou great crimson sea,
Thy waters can cleanse me, thy waters can cleanse me,
Thy waters can cleanse me, come, roll over me!

My tempers are fitful, my passions are strong,
They bind my poor soul and they force me to wrong;
Beneath thy blest billows deliverance I see,
O come, mighty ocean, O come, mighty ocean,
O come, mighty ocean, and roll over me!

Now tossed with temptation, then haunted with fears,
My life has been joyless and useless for years;
I feel something better most surely would be
If once thy pure waters, if once thy pure waters,
If once thy pure waters would roll over me.

O ocean of mercy, oft longing I’ve stood
On the brink of thy wonderful, life giving flood!
Once more I have reachèd this soul cleansing sea,
I will not go back, I will not go back,
I will not go back till it rolls over me.

The tide is now flowing, I’m touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the Mighty to Save;
My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;
I plunge ’neath the waters, I plunge ’neath the waters,
I plunge ’neath the waters they roll over me.

And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days
Shall gladly be spent in promoting His praise
Who opened His bosom to pour out this sea
Of boundless salvation, of boundless salvation,
Of boundless salvation for you and for me.