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One of the most cherished memories that I have of my mother was actually the day before she went home to be with the Lord. I climbed in the hospital bed with her and began singing softly in her ear:
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me…
She looked at me as I sang. Tired and weak as she was, I saw a glint in her eye, a look of recognition. She opened her mouth and in the most delicate and faint voice, she joined in "The Bible tells me so."
It was then that I understood Paul’s words in Romans 8:38,39 in a way I hadn’t before: “I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (The Message). One truth had remained constant throughout my mother’s 88 years of life – through the joys and disappointments, through the wins and losses, through both fear and faith, through the laughter and tears, through Alzheimer’s Disease, through stroke -- one truth had kept her and now was about to usher her into the eternal presence of the God. Though that thief, dementia, had robbed her of many memories, it had not been able to snatch from her one thing: the reality of the eternal, inflamed, unconditional love of God.
The Love of God goes beyond our human understanding. Many of us grapple with it, finding it almost too good to be true. Too often we look at ourselves through our human eyes and question why God would or even could love us as He does. Too often we don’t fully embrace His love. Even worse, we don't allow that Love to fully embrace us. But it is His love that is our life source.
God is love (1 John 3:8). Love is the very motivation of all He does. It was at the heart of the very first, “Let there be…” It is the very motivation behind creation. It was Love that breathed into man and made him a living soul. Love is the motivation behind redemption. Love is the story from Genesis to Revelation. It is Love that calls us back to original purpose. It is Love that leads us home.
And today it is Love that will keep you, provide for you, comfort you, protect you, guide you, hold you. Today Love will heal the hurts, speak wisdom, pour out great grace, uplift , shelter you under its shadow. In the darkest places, in the empty, desolate places, in the lonely places, in the good, in the bad Love is there today; for nothing shall separate you from His Love.
Open up and allow the Love of God to embrace you today as never before. Be consciously aware of His presence wherever you find yourself today. Let His Love be all that you need, fulfilling and satisfying every desire It's His heart's desire to demonstrate to you His love today -- up close and personal.
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me…
She looked at me as I sang. Tired and weak as she was, I saw a glint in her eye, a look of recognition. She opened her mouth and in the most delicate and faint voice, she joined in "The Bible tells me so."
It was then that I understood Paul’s words in Romans 8:38,39 in a way I hadn’t before: “I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (The Message). One truth had remained constant throughout my mother’s 88 years of life – through the joys and disappointments, through the wins and losses, through both fear and faith, through the laughter and tears, through Alzheimer’s Disease, through stroke -- one truth had kept her and now was about to usher her into the eternal presence of the God. Though that thief, dementia, had robbed her of many memories, it had not been able to snatch from her one thing: the reality of the eternal, inflamed, unconditional love of God.
The Love of God goes beyond our human understanding. Many of us grapple with it, finding it almost too good to be true. Too often we look at ourselves through our human eyes and question why God would or even could love us as He does. Too often we don’t fully embrace His love. Even worse, we don't allow that Love to fully embrace us. But it is His love that is our life source.
God is love (1 John 3:8). Love is the very motivation of all He does. It was at the heart of the very first, “Let there be…” It is the very motivation behind creation. It was Love that breathed into man and made him a living soul. Love is the motivation behind redemption. Love is the story from Genesis to Revelation. It is Love that calls us back to original purpose. It is Love that leads us home.
And today it is Love that will keep you, provide for you, comfort you, protect you, guide you, hold you. Today Love will heal the hurts, speak wisdom, pour out great grace, uplift , shelter you under its shadow. In the darkest places, in the empty, desolate places, in the lonely places, in the good, in the bad Love is there today; for nothing shall separate you from His Love.
Open up and allow the Love of God to embrace you today as never before. Be consciously aware of His presence wherever you find yourself today. Let His Love be all that you need, fulfilling and satisfying every desire It's His heart's desire to demonstrate to you His love today -- up close and personal.
