God's Love

So, I'm taking a break from the fruits this week.  This was just too important to me to not share.  

My daughter’s cries woke us up at 6:30.  That was early for her.  She was screaming, “My Dolly’s wet!”  Over and over again.  Dolly is a well-loved sheep blanket that she has to have to sleep.  Well, in the night, our little one had and accident and Dolly had gotten wet.  My husband went in to check on her and through the monitor I could hear the desperate cries of a three year old who was being parted with her Dolly because the sheep would have to go in the laundry.  And, in the midst of that God spoke to my heart.  He said, “Jamie, that’s how I feel about my children.”  In that moment I just froze.  I was overwhelmed by the clear picture of His love for me and all of his children.

See, my daughter was desperate for this dirty, stained, and now soiled little lamb.  She didn’t care that it was covered in urine.  She didn’t care that she has a torn ear where my daughter has rubbed a hole in her.  My child didn’t care that, according to human etiquette, her lamb was dirty and needed washing and you just didn’t hug on things that are dirty.  She didn’t care because she loves, and I do mean loves, that little lamb. 

And God showed himself to me in that moment.  He spoke to my heart about just how much he loves us in our worst state.  How much he just wants to hold on to us when we are covered in our own mess.  God showed me just how much he wants to love me, and you, even when we are so filthy that we need to be thrown in the laundry for a good wash.  God doesn’t care how messed up, dirty, torn, or falling apart we are.  He just wants us.  He doesn’t want to be parted from us.

Then, the most amazing thing is that God created a laundry cycle for us to get clean.  Now, when Dolly gets wet or dirty, I have to throw her in the laundry.  And, I’ll have to do it again the next time she gets dirty.  But, God made it so that we only have to be washed once and we are clean forever.  How I wish sometimes that came in a detergent bottle.  Alas, I will continue to wash until we are no longer ashamed of our nakedness.  But I digress.   

The more I look at this little worn, but loved, lamb I am reminded more and more of God’s love for us.  I am so overwhelmed by just how much he can love us, even when we are a bit disgusting and for sure offensive to him.  Love is who God is.  Love is what makes God, well…God.  And real, true love, that doesn’t care about where people are in their lives, what sins or struggles they have, or even whether they are nice or love us back:  that kind of love only comes from God.  I think in our world today, when so many of us are struggling, wouldn’t it be nice if we could love each other like God loves us.  Be willing to come close when things are hard.  Be willing to struggle with people.  Be willing to celebrate with people.  Be willing to help people get clean too. 

I never, in a million years would have thought that God would show up in a child’s soiled blanket.  But, God is in fact everywhere.  I hope he shows up for you today in the most unexpected place.