In the past, I’ve been pretty good at letting my family know I love them. Writing a little something to let them know of my love. Any time I was separated from my children, they always got a card in the mail telling them how much I loved them and missed them.
During my daughter’s freshman year at Colorado State University, she received a card each week from me and her friends were envious. Just a little something that said, “I love you” meant so much. She hung those cards on her bulletin board proudly and she knew she was loved.
My other daughter spent a summer away from me visiting family. Although it was difficult for me, she had a great time. However, I sent her a card each week to let her know that someone here in Colorado loved her.
I did the same the first time my son moved away from home. It didn’t take much, just a little something that said, “I’m thinking of you today.”
As I sat down at my computer this morning, a message popped up. It was a love note from my husband. My heart jumped. A smile formed on my face. I suddenly knew what I was going to write about today. Love notes!
Perhaps in my marriage and family life the habit of leaving love notes around has waned. Not that it’s acceptable, but it just happens through the years. Life gets busy. Money gets tight. The cost of a postage stamp keeps us from mailing those cards. We take our loved ones for granted and assume they know.
I love my family, but maybe I don’t say it or show it as often as I should. Perhaps you are in the same situation.
Maybe we should take our cue from God. He leaves love notes around for us to see all the time. Maybe we don’t recognize them as such, but love notes they are. As I look around my office, I can see eight notes from God. Each one is a verse of Scripture and each one is a reminder that God loves me.
Each time I read the Bible, I read a love note from God. It may not be a passage specifically telling me of God’s love, but the entire Bible shows me that God loved me enough to prepare this book of love.
Remember the little song we sang as a child and probably sang to your children and grandchildren? Jesus loves me. “Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so!”[i]
So, here are a few reminders from God’s Word telling us that He does love you and me.
“For God so loved the world (insert your name here) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 – NIV)
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you (insert your name here). Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11 – NIV)
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us (insert your name here) in this: While we (insert your name here) were still sinners, Christ died for us (insert your name here).” (Romans 5:6-8 – NIV)
“For I am convinced 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 (insert your name here) from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 – NIV)
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ love us and gave himself up for us (insert your name here) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 – NIV)
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (insert your name here). And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16 – NIV)
Yes, God loves you and me. Yes, Jesus loves you and me. We can confidently face the day knowing this great love. And, it wouldn’t hurt to tell a few people in your life about this love either.
“The Lord is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 100:5 – NIV)
Grace and peace be yours forever,
Donna