A Child’s Question

How much do you love me?

A question we have asked or thought at sometime or another. No one ever sets out with a desire to be despised, we may at times feel despised and not wanted but truly our basic desire is to love and be loved.

In Words that Change Everything, Speaking Truth to Your Soul by Karen Jordan she tells of a time she was challenged to ask God how much he loved her (crucifixion aside) and within in few minutes she had her answer. You will need to read her book to find out what the Lord showed her. After telling her story she challenged the reader to ask the same question.

I proceeded to ask the Lord how much he loves me, but my words were hesitant. How could I ask such a question when He had given His own son to die in my place. His love far surpasses my understanding and my mind cannot comprehend the depth of His love. Yet here I was asking the great I AM that very question.

Tongue in cheek I asked, while at the same time confirming to Him I know that He loves me. Still I felt kind of shy in asking. Bowing my head in silent prayer I waited for an answer: but none came.

Experience in walking with the Lord has taught me He will answer in His own time.  He wasn’t ignoring me He was just waiting for the right moment. The moment when would I hear Him.

A Child’s Question

When my children were small they would ask “Mammy, how much do you love me?” With arms extended out in front of me, palms together. I would slowly separate my arms making a wide circle around my body to my back where the palms of my hands would finally meet again. Repeating the words I love you this much as the circle grew wider and wider.

Sunday morning, the day after I had asked God “How much do you love me?”, my answer came. While worshiping the Lord one word in a song leapt out at me. I don’t remember the line or the name of the song but the word was forever. As we sang my mind pictured the answer to my children’s question, “Mammy, how much do you love me?”.

This time it was not me with hands extended, rather it was the Lord whose arms were extended out in front of him with palms together. He proceeded to open His arms just like I did when answering my children, telling me I love you this much as His arms continued to widen around His body. Continuing past His right and left sides His hands made their way around to His back. I waited for His hands to clasp together behind Him.

In my mind I peeked around His back, His hands were not clasped together instead they continued on and on never reaching their destination. “Wow! They are going on forever,” I thought. That’s when I heard the quiet small voice of the Holy Spirit saying, “Exactly, my love for you is never ending. I will love you FOREVER.”

FOREVER! Don’t know about you but my mind cannot begin to comprehend FOREVER. Sixty or seventy years yes, maybe a hundred but FOREVER. Really folks, exactly how long is that?

God’s love is Priceless. Unfailing. Extravagant. Faithful and Forever.

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! people take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7 NIV

Today I encourage you to ask our Heavenly Father how much He loves you. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not taking anything away or diminishing the sacrifice Jesus made for us when He willingly died in our place. That truly was done in love and it was love who died and rose again for us.

As a daughter of His, living on planet earth, it’s encouraging to receive a personal “I love you this much.” Think of it as a family of sisters who live away from home, they know their dad loves them. Then in the mail they each receive a personal I Love You This Much from their dad, each letter containing a message of love unique to each sister. How encouraging and affirming would that be?

Helena

Looking to Jesus. Living in His Radiance.

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