How do you know I love you?

 

If you are a parent you know what love is. I’m talking about the kind of love that makes you feel like your heart is going to explode. You know that kind? When I had our first son I experience this overwhelming, suffocating, and all-consuming love for him. I had never experienced anything like it and it felt as if my heart was so full it might just pop.  As most first time moms feel, I was head over heels for this beautiful treasure from God.

When I found out we were expecting number two I found myself worried.  Worried that there was no way I would be able to love him as much as I had loved Johnathan.  How could my heart possibly have any more room for another? I feared I would favor one over the other, or love one less.  A wonderful friend of mine told me she experienced the same feeling in her second pregnancy.  She told me something amazing would happen, when that tiny little bundle made his appearance somehow my heart would just double.  She was right.  It was incredible and again, overwhelming.

How spectacular is the love we have for our children? It is unbreakable.

As most of you know, our four-year old, Ian, has the sweetest personality.  He is just a giant cuddle bug 99% of the time.  The other 1% he is typical ornery boy.  He is always teaching me something new about life and love.  Last night he woke up about 1am and was wide awake.  And I mean WIDE awake! I am just going to blame daylight savings time since everyone else is. After trying to get him back to sleep for about 45 minutes I finally just gave in and told him to come in the bed with me.  My dear hubby was asleep on the couch so we had the king bed all to ourselves.  We giggled around and cuddled, it is so rare to have time just me and him I will admit it was a good moment.

I kept telling him how much I loved him.  Finally he said “Mommy I know! I know!”  I laughed at his stern tone and asked “How do you know I love you so much?”  He hesitated for a moment and put his little finger up to his chin in thought.

You love me because Jesus give you all the love you need!

He is so right!  I love because God the Father loves me so unconditionally and because of Him my heart is able to grow and pass on His love to others.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7

The only reason I can love my sweet Ian, is because God loved me first. He showed me that love by sending His son to die and pay the price for my sins.  He showed me that love when He created me.  His love is revealed to me throughout His beautiful creation, this world that I live in.  Everything that I have is from a God who loves me unconditionally and completely.

We love because He first loved us – 1 John 4:19

I love how easy it is for Ian to see that the love I have for him is so much bigger than anything I could ever contain. I think the love that we feel for our children and our spouse is perhaps that closest we will ever get, on this side of Glory, to truly understanding just how full God’s love for us is.

In this world there are so many that feel so unloved and alone.  Maybe you are one of those people today. I want to speak something into you that is life altering.  You can’t run or hide from God’s love. It is complete and unchanging.  It is real and it is not your choice whether God loves you or not, He just does.  Just as I love Ian so much it hurts, the truth is there is nothing you can do to make God stop loving you.  Nothing.  He lavishes His love all over you, soak in it for a little while.  And then realize that because He so greatly loves you,  you are able to love those around you.

 

Love.  It’s the thing.  It’s everything. 

This post is linked up with Susie Eller’s #livefree

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