Absolutely No Idea

 

This morning I was straightening the house. Our sweet beagle, Ellie, was resting on the couch, waiting for our walk.  As I walked past her, I couldn't resist stroking her head and running my fingers across her velvety ears.  I told her, "You have no idea how very much you are loved."

That is true.  She is loved not only by me and my husband but by all of our family.  Our best friends love her, too.  People we pass on the street during our walks ask to pet her.  The ladies at the coffee shop we visit have Ellie's pupcup ready before they make our coffee!  She loves, and she is loved.

But immediately after speaking those words to Ellie, I thought how very true that is of myself.  I have absolutely no idea how much I am loved.  

I know my friends love me; they are effusive in their expression of love. I know Ellie loves me; she follows me around the house, wanting to be in the same room with me. (This may be because she hopes to get a tidbit of food I have, or maybe -if she's really lucky- a sip of my coffee.) I know my family loves me, too; they clearly show that in so many ways. I would have to be blind and deaf not to know my husband loves me.  It is the goal of his life with me to cause me to know that truth.

But that wasn't the thought that came to my mind.  The thought was, "You have absolutely no idea how much the Lord loves you."

It brings tears to my eyes just writing the words.  Our Lord loves us so much that He gave that which was most precious to Him, His dear Son, so we might be redeemed.  He has prepared a life for us beyond this mortal realm so wondrous the Scriptures say of it,

"But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,' " 

1 Corinthians 2:9.

If I began to list all the things in my life that are proofs of God's love, I could not finish before I take my last breath.  Yet, there are so many more that I never even knew.  Ways He orchestrated things so that I was in the right place at the right time.  Ways He provided and protected me of which I was unaware.  Choices He led me to make that were to bring untold blessings, such as introducing myself to a handsome young man in Sunday School forty-seven years ago.  Or deciding at the last minute not to major in Journalism but to go into Nursing. Or having the "pick of the liter" and picking the most wonderful beagle puppy of all.

We will have doubts about many things in our lives, but the fact that God loves us more than we will ever know should not be one of them.  As Glen wrote in the lyrics of one of our songs, "Let it rule your hearts and set your spirits free."  God loves us. It is as simple and glorious and complex as that.  All we have to do is believe it.

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:39

"For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life."
John 3:16

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 

that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

may be able to comprehend with all saints 

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

Ephesians 3:17-19

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, 
be with you all. Amen."
2 Corinthians 13:14