While recovering at home from surgery, my youngest son always found a way to make me smile even when I didn't feel like it. He's the affectionate one, so hugs and kisses from him are the norm. One evening, the hug was accompanied by his declaration of love.
"Mommy, I love you to Jupiter and back."
I responded in kind, with a kiss no less, "I love you to the moon and back."
He looked confused and disappointed then responded, "You know Jupiter is farther than the moon, right?"
He was right. I had returned his intergalactic declaration of love with a love that only reached the moon. That wasn't a fair trade. He had stated (first!) that he loved me a LOT and I stated that I loved him LESS. No wonder he was hurt and confused.
I wonder if that's how God feels when we don't counter His love the same way. He gave us the very best heaven had to offer, His son Jesus. He declared His love in the most personal, heartfelt way and yet our lives often reflect the "Jupiter vs the moon" scenario that I had with my son.
He gives us the best; we give Him less than.
His love runs from A to Z; ours stops at F.
He loves us to Jupiter; We love Him to the moon.
Whether it's in our worship or benevolence or, quite frankly, our disposition; we knowingly fall short of the opportunities to give Him the service and glory He deserves. When we sin, we turn our backs on His love.
Certainly we understand that we can never match God's love. He's never asked for (or expected) a tit-for-tat response to His blessings. We couldn't reciprocate if we tried. Yet, our inability to match His amazing grace shouldn't deter us from living our best lives and honoring Him daily. Still, we often unpack our bags in the abounding grace when we were only meant to stop there momentarily.
He's given us access to eternal salvation through His son Jesus who came from heaven down to earth to make the ultimate sacrifice for our transgressions. Let's not respond to that ultimate gift with a flippant love that only meets Him at the driveway.
"Mommy, I love you to Jupiter and back."
I responded in kind, with a kiss no less, "I love you to the moon and back."
He looked confused and disappointed then responded, "You know Jupiter is farther than the moon, right?"
He was right. I had returned his intergalactic declaration of love with a love that only reached the moon. That wasn't a fair trade. He had stated (first!) that he loved me a LOT and I stated that I loved him LESS. No wonder he was hurt and confused.
I wonder if that's how God feels when we don't counter His love the same way. He gave us the very best heaven had to offer, His son Jesus. He declared His love in the most personal, heartfelt way and yet our lives often reflect the "Jupiter vs the moon" scenario that I had with my son.
He gives us the best; we give Him less than.
His love runs from A to Z; ours stops at F.
He loves us to Jupiter; We love Him to the moon.
Whether it's in our worship or benevolence or, quite frankly, our disposition; we knowingly fall short of the opportunities to give Him the service and glory He deserves. When we sin, we turn our backs on His love.
Certainly we understand that we can never match God's love. He's never asked for (or expected) a tit-for-tat response to His blessings. We couldn't reciprocate if we tried. Yet, our inability to match His amazing grace shouldn't deter us from living our best lives and honoring Him daily. Still, we often unpack our bags in the abounding grace when we were only meant to stop there momentarily.
He's given us access to eternal salvation through His son Jesus who came from heaven down to earth to make the ultimate sacrifice for our transgressions. Let's not respond to that ultimate gift with a flippant love that only meets Him at the driveway.
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