Unabashed Love

Children are so amazing.

Last night I was feeling physically terrible, and I was impatient, exhausted, and snappy with my children while I was putting them to bed. I know it’s wrong when I act this way, and yet somehow, I feel justified when I do it also. Because I felt crappy. Go figure. Somehow, the frustration and impatience just seemed to pour out of me.

As I tucked my 5 year old in, I tucked his arms into his blanket and hugged him. He struggled, and announced that he wanted his arms on the outside of his blanket.

I had enough energy to tease him a little, telling him I was going to hug him in his blanket like a big burrito. Still he resisted.

“Mama, I want my arms out so I can hug you and love you. I love loving you!!!” His arms encircled me with a big, long, 5-year-old boy hug.

My eyes filled up with tears, and my stony heart melted. “Mama, did I make you cry?”

“Yeah.” I smiled as he giggled, thrilled to have touched my heart with his love.

Then my three other children beckoned me, and showered me with hugs, kisses, and “I love you”s. It was almost more than my heart could bear!

Even after all my griping, impatience, and fatigue, when I deserved their love the least, out of all the hours of the day. . . here they are, loving me with all their hearts.

And they broke my heart!

But in a good way.

They brought me to repentance. Their unabashed love brought me to repentance.

How is it that love works this way?

After thinking about this for a while, I’m convinced it is love that brings repentance, far more powerfully than any reprimand. Sure, reprimands are necessary at times, but they pale in comparison to love.

This is why Christians are called to love. When we love without condition, we change the world. It’s so powerful.

Simple, undeserved love can bring people to their knees. However, when we make ourselves high and mighty judge, placing ourselves above others, we actually turn them away from the grace, mercy, and life-changing LOVE of God, which is available for all.

(all!!!)

Love is so powerful.

Even more amazing than my children’s unconditional love, is my Heavenly Father’s unabashed love for me. (It’s even hard for me to type a sentence like that, I feel so undeserving!)

In the same way that my children’s love melted, just obliterated my cycle of impatience and frustration, God’s pure love brings us to repentance.

My task, especially at this point in my life, is to bask in His love, to soak up every ounce of this undeserved love, so I can be filled and love others the same way.

I know when I try to love out of my own power, my love falls short. It’s powerless compared to a heart filled with God’s pure love.

As I spent time in prayer with God about this revelation, I heard His soft, kind whisper:

I command you to let me love you. When you bask in my love, you open yourself up to love others better. Your command right now is to let me love you. Don’t push me away. Open your heart and let me fill it. I am the perfect fulfillment.

What a job!

I can think of nothing I’d rather do more, than to just sit and let God’s unconditional love pour over me.

As you go to sleep tonight, tired and beat after a long day, would you do the same with me? Just let His love pour over you. Over and over again.

He fills us up, so we can pour His love out to others. He is the perfect fulfillment.

Love,

Dandy

 

 

This post has been shared at Savoring Saturdays.