The Father's Love

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

~Stuart Townsend

God shows us the depth of His love for us in the ultimate way in the cross of Christ. How incredible to know that He loves us so much as to sacrifice His only beloved Son to once & for all atone for & satisfy His wrath toward our sin. He allowed Him to be crushed for me - that is a wondrous thing indeed!

And were He to stop there, that would be all I would ever need. Were He to never stoop to show me another mercy, another kindness, another example of His love for me, I would still know that His love was "vast beyond all measure" because of Jesus Christ.

But He doesn't stop there. He has bathed me in countless showers of His love all of my life. Walking with me through valleys, staying what would have been tragic events, bringing Michael to me at just the right time. He provides the job that enables us to have a home, clothing, & food. He's graciously given me a loving family - by blood, by marriage, & by Christ. He brightens my days with sunshine & waters the earth with rain. The list detailing God's demonstrations of love for me could seriously just go on forever!

Today was a day when I felt God's special, personal-for-me love immensely. It came about in what would probably seem a little thing for y'all, but I was floored & completely overcome. Michael called me into the blue room just before breakfast because he needed to show me something he'd found on our back patio. It was this.

Purple looked gorgeous on her, hence our "purpled-out" identifying information.

This is Ginger's tag. I got it for her when we lived in LA a few years before I met Michael; I meant to have it updated at some point, but could never find another design that I liked as much. Throughout all these years, this tag has never left her collar. She always loved wearing her collar, so much so that when I took it off to bathe her, she wiggled around in excitement for me to put it back on. I think she knew that it meant that she belonged to me. We buried her wearing that collar, & I had no idea that this tag was missing. Until today, which marks 2 months since I lost her. Losing her has been so terribly sad for me, & I think that God put this little tag in Michael's path for me. I think He was reminding me that He knows my sorrow intimately & He cares for me. I think He was reminding me that He is carrying me through this valley.

The Father's love is indeed deep & vast beyond all measure. He loves me enough to save my soul from everlasting damnation. And He loves me enough to give back to me something special that I didn't even realize was missing. He is a gracious God whose love truly knows no bounds.