Love

As a young person my Dad started doing something that has stuck in my mind to this day.
He started telling us he loved us. Not so strange huh?
The thing was that he would tell us that we did not have to say it back. It was not that he did not want to hear that we loved him, but he wanted to give us a gift. A gift that was freely given. And he did not want us to feel like we owed him an -I love you too--in return.

For some reason this has come to my mind quite often lately.
This morning as that came to my mind again-- I thought of God. His love for us is so great.
He promises us that He will love us and never stop loving us.
He can't stop. Because He is love by His very nature.
Everything He does is from a heart of love.

So when I look out my back door and see the sun shinning through the trees,
it is because of love.
Love that is given freely without a demand for me to love Him in return.
A gift freely given without expectation.
Does He need my love?
No.
He is not a needy God. He was perfect and complete without any of us.
Does He long for my love?
Yes, my heart tells me He does. He yearns for my gift of love freely given.
For me to take my gift of praise and love and lay them at His feet.

I picture a little girl with a box brightly wrapped. She is dressed in her Sunday best, little patent leather shoes shinning. She has the silliest grin on her face and the glow in her eyes is from the overflow of the excitement in her heart. Her little shoes can't help but make a tapping noise on the polished marble floors of the throne room. She is trying not to run because she has been taught better. But in the end she can not stop her little feet-they have a mind of their own.
Running through the crowd gathered she darts in and out of those standing around.Before the great steps leading up to the throne she stops just for a second to catch the eyes of the King sitting on the throne. Her love for Him takes her breath away. He is glorious!
Racing up the stairs she stops just short of jumping right into His lap. She gently lays her box at His feet.
Stepping back she looks eagerly into His face and waits.
Little hands are clasped tightly behind her back as she rocks excitedly back and forth on feet that can not seem to be still.
Bending low the King bends to retrieve the gift.
She waits with bated breath as He opens the box.
From out of the box He withdraws a colorful note.
It says,
I love you!
With tears in His eyes He lowers the box and opens His arms to welcome her embrace.
And in her ears she hears what her heart longs to hear--
"Thank you my child, this is what I have always wanted".