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St. Stephen Minister of Music Dr. John Blizzard explores the profound depths of God's unconditional and persistent love using the 1882 hymn by Scottish minister George Matheson and the promise of Lamentations 2:22-23. We explore the history of the hymn and the writer's personal suffering and isolation as we are invited to surrender our "flickering torches" of self-reliance for the "sun's blaze" of divine light. The hymn and this message reminds us that no matter our circumstances, God's mercies are new every morning and will never let us go.

Sermon Reflections:

• How does knowing that George Matheson wrote "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go" during a moment of deep personal rejection and physical blindness change your experience of the hymn's lyrics?
• Dr. Blizzard references "The Hound of Heaven" to describe God’s relentless pursuit of us. When in your life have you felt God seeking you out, even when you were trying to "flee" or hide?
• The sermon discusses trading a "flickering torch" for "divine eternal light." What are the fragile, human efforts in your life that you find most difficult to surrender to God?
• Dr. Blizzard notes that joy is not the absence of suffering but a deeper comfort found within it. How can you look for "the rainbow through the rain" in your current season?
• How does the promise from Lamentations 3:22-23—that God’s faithfulness is great and His mercies never end—help you reframe a situation where your expectations haven't met reality?
• Reflecting on the "blossoms red" that spring from the ground of the cross, can you identify a "blossom" of spiritual growth in your life that grew out of a period of sacrifice or brokenness?

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