Simply Love

Simply Love

We toss this word around so easily today.

I ‘love’ banana flavored Italian shaved ice from Kona.

I ‘love’ Mexican food.

I ‘love’ writing early in the morning.

Love – four simple letters that say so much more.

And then comes God. 

   ~God so loved …

   ~God is love …

   ~God love me …

I’m not a cup of ice with banana flavoring on it.  I’m me.  What if I’m not God’s favorite flavor?

But I am, you see.  And so are you.  Are you white, or brown, red, or do you have a yellow tint to your skin?  Maybe you are cold black, or anywhere in between.  You are still God’s favorite flavor.

Poets, song writers, essayist, theologians and others have been trying to write about love for centuries, yet it remains the one elusive verb that no one can really get their minds around.  Especially God’s love for me and you.

Oh, I spout off, and write, and sing “God loves me.”  “God loves you.”

And I end up in the same place many times.

“But, me?  Really?”

“I once did this.”

“I went here one time.”

“I said this to her once upon a time.”

“I acted wrongly way back then.”

And the repeating chorus from God sings out, “I still love you.”

So, now what?

Why is love and acceptance from God so difficult for us to accept and believe?  Why do we buck up against His offer of love?

When I figure that one out, I’ll let you know. 

Yes, God is holy.

Yes, God wants the absolute best for us.

Yes, God wants that closeness that is better than any human friendship or sibling relationship we could ever imagine. 

Carolyn and I are close, and deeply in love, yet somehow, God loves each of us more than we love each other.  I don’t get that.

And yet, my opening premise kicks in.  That’s just it … we don’t believe in God’s love.

Perhaps, our memories won’t allow us to believe in God’s love.  It comes down to this … “How can a Holy God reach out in love to a lowly, less-than-right specimen like me or you?

And yet He does.  I often use this quote from Brennan Manning:

“God loves us as we are 

… not as we should be.”

This, it seems, is the first step.  Acknowledge that God loves me and you.  Allow Him to love you, as you are.

If God is the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing God, then He can start with this simple acknowledgement and walk you through the next steps you need to take.

And He will do it in love.

That’s grace, my friend.

Love and grace.

I accept his grace. 

I believe in God’s love!

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