Laura J. Davis

In my daily study time I am working through Francis Chan's book/workbook Crazy Love. It's an awesome study and one that will make you ponder things for hours. For example, today I was faced with something that I had always assumed was a given, but when I really thought hard about my answer I began to wonder.

The theme of the chapter was simple - do you love God? Well, my immediate reaction was - of course I do! I wouldn't be devoting my life to Him if I didn't love Him. But then, Francis Chan went a little deeper and I was faced with these questions: 

Do I love God like I love my spouse or my children? Do I want to be with Him - to pursue Him? Is my love for God like that "Crazy Love" I experienced when I first fell in love with my husband? Does the spirit within me "light up" at the thought of spending time with my Saviour? While the author never directly asked those questions, the study inadvertently pushed me in that direction. I didn't like my answers.

I began to think of all the ways God has expressed His love for me. Not just the death of His Son, but in other ways throughout my life where He has shown me how much He cares. Shelter, clothing, jobs, safety during moments of danger, healthy kids, delightful surprises, friendships, family, a loving husband. The list goes on and on. Yes, there were some bad times, but God was still there during them, holding me up and keeping me strong.

So, how do I express my love for God? He has given me so much, what can I possibly do to return that love? Will going to church or having a bible study everyday make Him happy? What about volunteering to help the poor? Will that make Him smile? Or perhaps a daily morning devotional that is at a set time everyday will let Him know how devoted I am. Are these adequate ways to show my love for Him?

Before I married my husband I couldn't stand being away from him for even a moment. We had a long distance relationship and racked up the phone bills talking to each other everyday for hours. Why? Because we loved each other, we wanted to hear each other's voice and get to know one another. When I hung up the phone, I missed his voice right away.

Is your love for God like that? Do you long to be with Him? To talk to Him? Do you constantly think about Him? Do you LOVE the Father like that?

Did you know that's how He loves you?

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)