I love You too!

We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

While I was preparing a series of messages for a weekend women's retreat on "Our Heavenly Husband," I was becoming more and more aware of ways that God is intimately involved in our lives. On a daily basis God gives us little gifts to express His love for us. So often we are so caught up in the details of life, car pooling, deadlines, homework, preparing dinner, packing lunches, running to the post office, babysitting our grandchildren, etc. that we don't see the gifts our Heavenly Husband leaves throughout our day.
Imagine leaving gifts throughout your home for your husband or child in places they will be during the course of their day. A note in their backpack or briefcase, a chocolate on their pillow, a nice pen on their desk, etc. but they never seem to notice. I think you would be, as I would be, disappointed. Isn't that exactly what we do to God?
I want to stretch our thinking just a bit this morning. What is our normal response to someone who says "I love you"? Typically, we would respond, "I love you too." I think there are multiple times throughout our day that God is saying, "I love you" which we do not seem to notice. For instance, how do we acknowledge the precious gifts from God, our Heavenly Husband when we are struck by the beauty of the morning sky, the softness of a cuddly baby, colorful fall leaves, the mist of the ocean waves or beautiful music that moves our spirit? We could say, "Thank You, Lord" or we could say, "I love You, too Lord". By responding with the latter, we remind ourselves that those gifts from God are one of His ways of saying, "I love you."

Open your eyes to God's precious love-gifts to you each day and remember to respond, "I love You too Lord."

Diane