Oceans of Love

Not everyone enjoys celebrating Valentine’s Day. We need to try and make the day a little easier, a little brighter for them.

Some have been betrayed by someone who said they loved them. That kind of betrayal brings a deep kind of hurt. Some have been hurt too many times in life and have no desire to go on. While others have lost the love of their life to death.

I’m sorry, truly sorry, for those who have experienced this kind of pain.

Jesus knows that kind of hurt too. He experienced the worst from those He loved and His heart broke when He lost someone he loved to death. He was betrayed, despised, rejected and abandoned. He experienced these things while in His earthly body so He could be a comfort to us.

“He heals those who have a broken heart. He heals their sorrows. ” Psalm 147:3 NLT

He promises to never leave us, never forsake us! He has promised to heal the broken hearted! If you’re having a hard time with Valentine’s Day, go to Him. Give Jesus your heart and let Him bring healing and wholeness. Then celebrate the day with your forever Valentine.

“The Spirit of the Lord God has taken control of me! The Lord has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives. 2 This is the year when the Lord God will show kindness to us and punish our enemies. The Lord has sent me to comfort those who mourn” Isaiah 61:1-2 CEV

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. God’s love is big enough for all of us. It is a deep and wide as the oceans and it will never run dry.

“I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:17-19 ERV

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Playing Favorites

Yesterday there was lots of excitement at our house. First thing in the morning we learned that our first great granddaughter had been born. She is five weeks early but perfect in every way.

A few hours later our youngest daughter, son-in-love and three youngest grandchildren arrived for a weekend visit. My ninety-six year old mother is here and they came to spend some time with her and with us.

A busy house indeed.

There was a short space in time during the mid afternoon that Mom was resting and so were two of the grandkids. The youngest, 3 1/2 months old, was in my lap while I was looking at a text message with pictures of our first great grandchild. WOW! I was overwhelmed by the blessings I have received from the Father. Three children, their mates, five grandchildren and one great grandchild! My heart is full and my cup runs over.

After our first daughter was born I wondered if I would have as much room in my heart for a second child as I did for her. I found that with each child my heart grew and there was always enough love to go around. The same holds true with the grandkids; my love capacity increases with the size of our family and there are no favorites. Each one is unique, each one is treasured and each one is loved with the same depth and intensity.

Did you know our heavenly Father is like that? He has no favorites. He loves you and me as much as He loves Jesus. We are His children too. He adopted us and placed us in the family as joint-heirs with Jesus. Listen to Jesus’ prayer on the night He was taken to be crucified.

I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 21 Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.

24 “Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. 25 Father, you are the one who always does what is right. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these followers of mine know that you sent me. 26 I showed them what you are like, and I will show them again. Then they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will live in them.” John 17:20-26 ERV

I highlighted in bold type face two specific incidents where Jesus mentioned that we have been given the same love from the Father that He received. Imagine that! God, the Father, creator of heaven and earth; all powerful, ever present, all knowing God who loved Jesus, HIs Son, and loves us with the same depth of love. We know this is for us and not just those who lived in Bible times because Jesus said it was. Those are His words, not mine.

We may feel that we have been treated unfairly in life, that our path has been skewed by partiality and favoritism. That very well may be. We may have been the last one picked for the ball team, overlooked for a promotion or completely ignored because we didn’t attend the right school or live on the right side of town. People make judgements based on prejudice, they shouldn’t but they do.

But God…God doesn’t play favorites! He loves us with an everlasting love!

How Long Is Forever?

For many years of my life I lived with doubt that God truly loved me. I felt that any failure or shortcoming on my part would effect the love that came to me from God, the Father.

I felt that the love God gave was merit based. The church I grew up in had a long list of do’s and don’ts. As a teenager and young twenty year old, I failed continually no matter how hard I tried. I almost came to the point that I gave up on trying to live a Christian life.

Somewhere in the back of my mind was this gnawing feeling that I was misunderstanding God’s love. I mean, my mom and dad loved me. I knew that and never doubted it. Even when I messed up, I always knew they loved me. Why would God be any different? In my thinking, His love should be greater than what I received from my earthly parents. Things just didn’t measure up. I was so frustrated!

Fast forward eight to ten years.

Dave and I were at a Cowboy Cathedral and we heard the preacher say that God’s love was unconditional. We can’t earn and we can’t lose it! WOW!! That word was sent straight from heaven to my heart.

But…could he back that up with Scripture? Yes, yes he did.

“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” Romans 5:6-9 NLT

Do you see that? God’s love for us continues forever. When we were at our worst Christ died for us because God wanted to show us how much He loves us. Amen!

Let that sink in – He loved us at our worst and His love will continue forever!

When this revelation of God’s love got passed my religious thinking and sank deep into my heart all my doubts about God’s love were gone. There is nothing I enjoy more than telling people about God’s love. Nothing better than that.

Most of the time when I think about how much the Father loves me (and you too) my heart overflows with so much gratitude that my eyes spill over with tears.

The Father’s love for you and me is forever – that’s a very, very, very long time!

A Good Day

Has anyone told you today “I love you”? It’s a good day to experience and to share some love. I am blessed because every morning when Dave gets up the first thing he does is give me a kiss and tell me “I love you”.

I have to wonder – how many people go through an entire day and never hear those words? Young, old; married, single; rich, poor; college grad or drop out; CEO or janitor; employed or homeless; we all need to know we are loved.

I think that many go through life never knowing they are loved. If only we were better at sharing our love with them, then they could see, through us, the love that the Father has for them. His love is unconditional; He loves us on our best days and on our worst.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-25 ERV

The Lord’s faithful love NEVER ends.

Let that sink in – His love never ends. Each day He has new ways of showing us His love. It doesn’t falter because we do. He loves even the most despicable of people; God so loved the world – that’s everyone.

In November, I took time to write down one or two things each day that I was grateful for. In December, I was writing down things that I felt were gifts from God. During January, I’ve been recording things that happened each day to give me encouragement. And now as February approaches I will be listing the things I experience (large and small) each day that the Father uses to express His love.

Please join me in making a love list. I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks going through God’s word and delivering to you each day a Valentine from the Father.

If no one has ever told you that you are loved let me be the first. Your heavenly Father loves you beyond measure and I do too.