Guess How Much I Love You
It's funny how we can act differently with people based on how we think they feel about us.
If we think the person has a low opinion of us, it might be hard to relax and completely be ourselves with them and around them. On the other hand, if we know they esteem, appreciate, care, or love us, we are more likely to let down our guard. There's nothing to try to prove. There is no need to feel defensive.
With that said... when you think about God, what are your first thoughts about how He feels about you?
Do you think God loves you?
Or, do you think God has a low opinion of you?
Many of us would give the Sunday School answer... "God loves me, of course." But, is this how your heart truly feels? Do you know that He loves you? Do you know He does not condemn you? The real answer can be seen in how you react around Him. Are you relaxed and able to be yourself? Or, is your guard and defenses up? A heart that knows it is loved and accepted does not feel the need to fight or run and hide.
Last night, I read a book to my daughter, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Anita Jeram. What a perfect picture of us and our Daddy and how He really feels about us.
It's a discussion between a father Hare named Big Nutbrown Hare and his son Little Nutbrown Hare. The son is determined to show his father how much he loves him, but is continuously outdone by his father's answers. Little Nutbrown extends his arms to show how much he loves his dad, but when his dad stretches out his arms, they reach even farther than his son's could ever reach. The son reaches up high -- but the father can reach higher. "I love you as high as I can hop!" the son says. "But, I love you as high as I can hop," Big Nutbrown Hare responds. Finally, after going back and forth, Little Nutbrown Hare thought he had it... "I love you right up to the moon," he said. Surely, his father's love could not be bigger than that. But, as the father leaned over and kissed his son good night, he whispered with a smile,
If we think the person has a low opinion of us, it might be hard to relax and completely be ourselves with them and around them. On the other hand, if we know they esteem, appreciate, care, or love us, we are more likely to let down our guard. There's nothing to try to prove. There is no need to feel defensive.
With that said... when you think about God, what are your first thoughts about how He feels about you?
Do you think God loves you?
Or, do you think God has a low opinion of you?
Many of us would give the Sunday School answer... "God loves me, of course." But, is this how your heart truly feels? Do you know that He loves you? Do you know He does not condemn you? The real answer can be seen in how you react around Him. Are you relaxed and able to be yourself? Or, is your guard and defenses up? A heart that knows it is loved and accepted does not feel the need to fight or run and hide.
Last night, I read a book to my daughter, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Anita Jeram. What a perfect picture of us and our Daddy and how He really feels about us.
It's a discussion between a father Hare named Big Nutbrown Hare and his son Little Nutbrown Hare. The son is determined to show his father how much he loves him, but is continuously outdone by his father's answers. Little Nutbrown extends his arms to show how much he loves his dad, but when his dad stretches out his arms, they reach even farther than his son's could ever reach. The son reaches up high -- but the father can reach higher. "I love you as high as I can hop!" the son says. "But, I love you as high as I can hop," Big Nutbrown Hare responds. Finally, after going back and forth, Little Nutbrown Hare thought he had it... "I love you right up to the moon," he said. Surely, his father's love could not be bigger than that. But, as the father leaned over and kissed his son good night, he whispered with a smile,
"I love you right up to the moon -- and back."
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