Lessons in Love

I remember hearing my friend say, after the birth of his first child, "Having all this love for my child, I feel like I better understand God's love, how He loves us so much."

I marveled at that statement, unable to identify.  For when I think of my love for my children, albeit it heart-strong and root-deep, I think of the many ways that my love fails.  How my selfishness overcomes.  How I in love still make a ruling that shows I misread the heart situation.  How anger rises in me light-years faster than wisdom or peace.  And that can't be how He loves.

Yet being a parent has taught me something of the love of God - the unconditional love that sees me in my selfishness, in my lack of discernment, in my angry I'm an adult but I can still throw a temper tantrum outbursts, but still loves fiercely.

I see it in my kids.

For on those days when my tone of voice gives away my inner irritation, when I've clearly doled out an incorrect consequence, when I've met anger with anger - these children still love me.  Even when we've battled all day, at book time they stroke my hair and lean against me as I read.  They try to find one more way to gain extra snuggle time.  They return my "I love you" in such a way that I believe them.  And I gaze on their long eyelashes as they sleep, honored to be theirs.

And that is how He says He loves us.  Even after we've battled Him all day - when we finally stop and rest, He is right up next to us, stroking our hair back and looking for ways to make the time last longer.  His "I love you" comes in such a way that we want to believe Him, we want to gaze at His beauty, honored to be His.

"Love is and always was the longing
 placed inside my heart 
to know you and be known by you." 

from All Sons and Daughters, The Longing