How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

When I ponder the unfathomable— the Lord’s love for us— I often think of our own family, how deeply I love my own children. My brain knows God loves each of us infinitely more than I love each of my children... but my heart does not begin to understand how that might be possible. Sure, sure, they are not really my children... we are all God’s children... but I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. It seems like I must love them more than other mothers love their children, at least as much as God loves us.

Through all my fears and failings, I pray my children know how much I love them. I am not physically affectionate by nature. I don’t effuse compliments. I don’t condone lavish gifts. I don’t gush over them to others. I sigh; I point out room for improvement; I yell; I run away to Kwik Trip. Then, I lose sleep over the many ways I am failing them. But I LOVE THEM SO MUCH and would, like any good mother, lay down my life without blinking.

This evening, we came to the end of a hard day. I was crabby and had just scolded a child, several children, for being unhelpful and thoughtless. We have had a lot of such days. My youngest came to me before I could go to her to say good night. She is the fiercest hugger, and she clung to me. “I love you, Mom,” she hissed into my shoulder. “I love you more,” I told her back. She pulled away, stared with such intensity and vowed, “That’s not even possible.”

She was so sincere I nearly believed her. In that moment, I saw the Father’s love for me. I knew she knew how much I love her. My precious, beloved child of God.