The Love You Long For

My kids are both sweet and sour on a regular basis… as are all of us. Depends on the minute. Depends on the day. Every once in a happy while, however, one of my children surprises me with an unexpectedly sweet moment that becomes a heart treasure.

I had one of those special conversations many moons ago with my middle child Hunter when he was just nine years old. It was bedtime. Teeth were brushed. Jammies were on. Prayers had been prayed. The smell of shampoo lingered from his freshly showered head. As I brushed a stray hair from his eye, the sweet conversation began with an innocent question…

“Mommy, do you know what I love?”

“What do you love, Hunter?” I whispered.

“I love being loved,” he said thoughtfully.  “Yep. I really love being loved.”

Lying beside him in the dark room, I considered the vastness of his statement.  It was the simplest of thoughts, delightfully honest, yet one of the most profound and insightful statements I’d ever heard come from his lips – from his heart.

When he spoke those four little words, “I love being loved,” I heard several things:

• He had a deep longing to be loved.
• He knew he was loved.
• His love tank was being re-filled as I tucked him in.
• His greatest need is love.

Like Hunter, my greatest longing and need is also to be loved… to feel safe, adored, cared about and content in love.

I don’t know where this devotion finds you today, but I sense God nudging me to tell you that He loves you. Completely. Perfectly. Eternally. (Yes, I’m talking to you!)

He knows your name. He knows your heart. He knows your circumstances. He hears your prayers.

He loves you and desires for you to rest in His love. God’s Word says so.

You. Are. Perfectly. Loved.

God’s love is not based on performance or beauty. It’s not based on your position or abilities. Many times, we mistakenly think that if we could just do this or that better – that God would love us more. That if we just hadn’t done this or that – God could love us more. The truth is this: God will never love you more or less…no matter what.  His love is complete, and you are the object of His heart’s affection.

But don’t take my word for it – take His! The Bible tells us that God’s love for us is unstoppable, unsearchable and unbreakable: …that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

No matter what you’ve believed in the past, choose by faith to believe this now: you are valued, priceless, and adored by God. “Take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18–19, MSG).

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Let those words sink in. Savor God’s love for you today. Take it personally. Linger long on thoughts of His affection for you. Let those thoughts find, fill and heal your heart.

When we embrace the deep love of Christ as a personal reality, we gain traction for powerful, meaningful living that begins with forgiveness and continues on in truth and grace.

Go in His love today. Be assured of it. Share it. Be changed by it. Love Him back.

Dear Lord, Thank You for loving me beyond what I deserve and understand.
In a world of uncertainty, I’m so grateful to know that Your love never changes, never waivers, and never fails. I love You, Lord. Please move my heart to love You even more today.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE

Allow the Lord to quiet you with His love today. Spend a few moments in prayer right now. Thank Him for His love. Worship at His feet. Be still before Him.

Love you guys,
GWEN

There are so many voices vying for your attention it can be hard to sift through the noise and focus on what really matters. The Graceologie with Gwen Smith podcast will help you move from distracted to directed.

Directed to hope. Directed to truth. Directed to clarity. Directed to grace. Directed to Jesus. Click here to listen now.