This week I was riding my bike and my son sent me a text. It was enough to make me melt right off the pedals.
I wrote him back with a simple “I love you, too,” and attempted to match his emoji enthusiasm. After parking my bike and approaching the back door, I noticed a sign had been rigged to the top of the doorframe. As I opened the door, the sign gently floated down to my feet. I fully grinned from ear to ear. It read:
I love you MORE.
Nothing tugs at a mother’s heart more than a handwritten, sincere note from her child. Emphasis on sincere. I recall when my boys were little them telling me some sweet craft, designed to make me cry, was really made by, or seriously guided by, the adult worker in the room. Nice. But this note was different. It came from the heart and I knew it.
The power of a handwritten note.
We underestimate it. Especially in our age of immediate and instant communication. No one has time to get out a piece of paper and pen something thoughtful. With all this typing nowadays, our handwriting stinks. And then we have to go out and buy stamps! Who has time?
Now an easy leap for today’s blog is to encourage you to write a note to someone today. And though that’s a great idea, I want to encourage you in a different way.
Be the recipient of a note today.
A man named Paul wrote these words a long time ago to folks in the city of Ephesus, but they are still applicable to us today:
I pray that you will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Ephesians 3:17-19
Know that love.
That is a powerful phrase. Do you know it? Sometimes we read a Bible verse and nod our head in general agreement, but assume it doesn’t apply personally. My husband was talking to someone this week whose wife has filed for divorce. He was telling him about a recent struggle that God had brought him through and his friend replied with, “Well, you are super faithful to God, so He took care of you.” Implying he was not worthy of that same care and attention. My husband reminded him that God loved him and was going to take care of him, too. The man’s eyes filled up with tears.
Do you know this love that is really wide, long, high and deep? Or do you think you are not good enough for it? Haven’t read your Bible enough? Missed too much church? Made some bad decisions? Been too angry with God?
This love is pretty big. It says it's greater than we can even know! We can’t even wrap our minds around it. Paul’s prayer (and mine, too) is that you would have the power to understand the greatness of this love. That means it's going to take effort! Mental gymnastics! Love is not awarded based on performance or withheld due to lack of it. But it is also not a license to act like a hoodlum and expect God to wave your behavior away with a big hug.
It is a love that always welcomes us into a deeper reality that we are known, accepted and appreciated. That our imperfections don’t offend or disappoint. Rather they are opportunities to ask for help and watch Him provide. Oh, the power of love!
Do you know this love?
Paul was certainly writing on God’s behalf with these words, but I think if God were to paraphrase it, this would be His handwritten note to you:
"No matter what… I love you MORE."
Be Intentional
Take a moment to grasp how you are fully known, accepted and appreciated by God. How will that change they way you interact with someone today?
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