Do You Love Me?

Attribution

Do you love me?

Difficult question to ask.

Unless you know the answer for sure.

A joke went around a few years ago about a couple married for many decades.

The woman asked her husband, "Do you love me?"

He responded, "Well, of course I do!  I told you I loved you the day we married and nothing's changed."

My husband and I have made this a little game between us.  To see if the other comes up with the punch line, or something different.

Bob, my husband, isn't a man given to many words.  Like my father, his affections are shown in a variety of ways.

Occasionally, I like to hear those three little words, "I love you."  So, I pose the question . . . and usually he responds with, "Nothing's changed."  Followed by his long, slow grin I love so much.

Reflecting on this question, I found myself thinking of the Heavenly Father's love. If we but cast our eyes upon Him and allow our hearts to dwell with His, we will never be separated from God's amazing grace and love.

Do you love me?  A question one will never have to ask of God.  His answer is clear:  If we but love Him, He will love us, forever and ever.

God showed us that love in the ultimate sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross shedding His blood for our sins.

What more need we know to understand that God loves us, no matter who we are, where we came from, what kind of house we live in, and no matter the flaws we carry with us.

God is love.  And nothing can separate us from it, as written in Romans 8:39.

Attribution


Linking up with Jennifer today:

Do For Others

"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior:

Ask yourself what you want people to do for you;

then grab the initiative and do it for them!"

Luke 6:31 (MSG)

How often we've read these words.

Heard them.

Maybe even memorized them.

But do we follow them? 

Last Friday we spent the day with my husband's brother, recently moved to a nursing facility due to dementia and impaired mobility.  Jim no longer can feed himself, maybe small bites with his fingers, but using utensils has becoming difficult.

Friday was his birthday, and as we sat in the cafe that is a part of his facility, two stunning young women entered.  They were coming to wish Jim a happy birthday and bring a card.  We had just begun eating our lunch.

Attribution

Each of them pulled up a chair, one on each side of Jim, and without a thought began helping him eat.  These young women had worked with Jim in a community organization where he had been there supervisor.  Suddenly, Jim has changed, but their eyes overlooked those changes. 

Their young and beautifully manicured hands extended, cutting his food and then feeding him, lifting a cup to his lips, wiping food from his chin or shirt.  They didn't bat an eyelash at what they were doing.

Tears burned my eyes as I realized how present God was with us.  Suddenly, the sadness of my brother-in-law's condition was changed to grace at the hands of others.

An image has been burned into my memory of these extraordinary moments I witnessed.  I will never forget their kindness and compassion.

I only hope to be as willing to reach out my hands as they were. 

What about you?

Linking up with Jennifer today at:
 

And visiting Joan at Grace Cafe