Know this love

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:16-19

Yesterday I was in the grocery store as several shoppers clamored to buy, balloons, flowers, chocolates and cards all to express their love to their Valentine. I looked at the faces of many of them and saw their intense inspection to make sure the right card or flowers were chosen. Some were stressed, others in a hurry, while still others smiled as they read the poetic words on a card. All seeking the same thing, to love and be loved.

What we all ultimately want is to be loved.

But what happens when the balloons, flowers, chocolates and cards don’t come? Does that mean that you are any less loved? Absolutely not!

While it is a wonderful thing to be loved by family and friends, the real love given every moment of every day is from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His love surpasses knowledge and there is nothing we can do that will every lessen His heart for us.

We cannot even comprehend how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is and unfortunately we often seek the lesser love to try and fill the voids in life. Balloons loose their air, flowers whither, chocolates are consumed and card are tucked away. Each loosing the initial joy and excitement they were meant to create. But God’s love is everlasting! No special holidays required.

The passage above is a prayer that we would know this love that surpasses understanding and that we would be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Do you know that God loves you? Do you know that you matter to Him? His Word calls you the apple of His eye, His redeemed and His Beloved. Words on a greeting card cannot touch the heart of God for you.

Father, thank you for Your extravagant love for us. I pray that we will know Your pure, unconditional and everlasting love and not only experience it for ourselves, but that we would love others as You love us. In Jesus’ name, amen.