The days I choose to dwell on His love for me are never fruitless. I cradle my Bible in my hands like a morning cup of coffee, inhaling the aroma of His word.
A few minutes later my reflection looks back at me, toothbrush dangling between its lips and hair untamed, and I claim the tenderness of His love in His words that I have trouble believing:
You are altogether beautiful, my darling, there is no flaw in you. You have stolen my heart, my treasure, my bride. You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.
The warmth of His adoring love follows me as my day goes on until the next momentary breath of quiet and with a mountain of tasks ahead of me my body slogs through the mundane letting my mind engage with more of His words: He rescued me because He delighted in me. The Lord takes pleasure in His people. He will take great delight in you. He will rejoice over you with singing. As I let the words circle around and around they spiral their way deeper into my heart. He takes great delight in me? He looks at me and breaks into song? Already my day is changing in light of this jubilant and uncontainable love I am not sure I will ever understand.
A few hours later, in a place of regret and shame for the careless words I have spoken, never mind godless attitudes I have entertained, my thoughts turn to the One who knows the most intimate details of my outside and my inside. The One who knit me together, formed me in darkness, and knows every hidden crevice of my soul, has precious thoughts about me. My Creator has more precious thoughts about me than I could count. Again I am floored by His intimate and forgiving love, in awe that it is directed at me.
The pace of the day picks up, needs around me and demands upon me. This time hours pass before my heart is stirred again into looking up. The thoughts of His love that have been percolating all day seem to be culminating as they rest upon the stunning realization that there is no greater love than that of my God for me. That the way and the amount in which He loves me - even enough to give up His Son on my behalf - cannot be matched. That no amount of time, space. joy, pain, doubt. shame, sickness, need, excess, circumstances, or messiness will ever be able to separate me from that unearned but oh-so-deserved-because-He-said-so love of God.
Let's use this time to deliberately engage with God's love for each of us. Let's let it sink in to touch a deeper place inside of us. I encourage you to consciously choose a posture for this time of prayer. Do you want to stand in proclamation, raise your hands in praise, kneel in reverence, lay down humility, look up in intimate confidence, or leap for joy? Choose something that reflects your understanding of God's love this evening and meditate on a verse, song, or truth that is resonating with you. Let's pray.
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God, we bask in Your love tonight. You love us. You know us and delight in us. We can't make You love us more or make You love us less. We can't understand why you love us or how much You love us. We are just so thankful that You do. Amen.
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