Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Love of God

For more than two years now, I have been counting His gifts.  After being inspired by Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, I began recording my blessings almost daily to help cultivate a thankful heart.  But after listing some three thousand four hundred and sixty-two gifts (as of this morning), I've discovered that I've been given something even better than a thankful heart.  I realize now, incredibly clearly, that God loves me. 

How do I know this remarkable truth?  Because day after day, God proclaims His love everywhere I look (and sometimes in places I don't).  In His painting of a sunrise to the taste of a strawberry that He warmed in the sun.  In the beautiful blinking of thousands of fireflies in our fields to the sound of the birds singing His praises on a spring morning such as this.  In the gift of friendship through a dear one's letter to the truth from His Word that "happy is the person who trusts God" (Psalm 34:8).  In the quiet peace of a winter's morning to the contagious smile of my four-year-old nephew.  God has told me of His love again and again and again.  I see and hear and taste and feel His love in a thousand ways every day of my life.  For He has given me eyes to see.

And the result of the knowledge of His love?  A thankful heart, yes.  But also, the ability to obey the greatest commandment: To love the Lord my God with all my heart and soul and mind.  And how could I not?  For I have a God who whispers to me in the gentle babble of our farm's creek.  He shouts to me in the midst of a summer's storm.  He cries with me in my fears and sadness.  He dances with me in the kitchen to praise music.  I have a Beloved who woos me and pursues me and romances me and declares His love all day long.  I need not work to obey that commandment - it flows easily in response to my Beloved's love.

Something else I have realized.  In fact, at times, I can barely let myself believe it for its goodness.  But as much as I enjoy beauty and light and color and joy, I have come to love the Source of all those things even more.  He has shown me that those 3,462 gifts point me to His love, but in relation to Him, those blessings pale in comparison to His awesomeness.  For in His amazing grace, I have learned that God. Is. Enough.

2 comments:

Vicki said...

Beautifully said. I'm on #672 over here!

Julie said...

Thanks, Vicki - keep counting!!