“We love because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
“LUV U!” says the heart-shaped, melt-in-your-mouth candy. “Love is in the air,” says the John Paul Young pop classic. Yep, it’s that feel-good time to remember loved ones with a chocolate, a flower, a card.
How deep the Father’s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure.
Delighting in a little sweetness, a beautiful rose, and touching words on a card, we can easily overlook the depth of God’s love, a love that came as a heart-shaped cross.
That He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure.
God’s love is more than a pronouncement, more than a sweet, beautiful, touching moment in our day. It’s an inclusive love that asks us to be part of His great plans for our family, our community, our world. And that’s awesome! A little daunting, too!
How great the pain of searing loss.
The Father turns His face away
I often think of Mary who was called to be the mother of our Lord and Savior. She was part of the biggest story ever, a story of great love and heartache, great hope and anguish, great joy and grief, great peace and wonder. She watched a little boy take his first steps and later watched that same little boy take his last steps to the cross. She saw a young man challenge authority and lift up the weak. She was part of a story that was beyond anything she could have imagined.
As would which mar the Chose One
Bring many sons [and daughters] to glory.
We’re part of that same story. Mary’s story is God’s story and God’s story is our story. Jesus took those first steps and His last steps for you and for me. He challenged on our behalf. He lifted up all of us. His unimaginably deep Love embraces us with Joy, surrounds us with Peace, and encourages us with Hope. Yes, the capitalized versions.
Music Lyrics by Stewart Townend © 1995 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Deanna shared this article with the women of NEWIM in their February 2020 newsletter. Learn more at https://www.newim.org.
