Growing up those words, "I love you," were reserved for only private moments and rarely spoken. Because I had not heard them at home, I did not realize the power those three little words carry. During the period I grew up and with stoics on both sides of my family--it is understandable that the freedom to utter those words was a long time coming. It was deemed that we should understand we were loved by the actions of our loved ones. All they did for us, was a declaration of love we should intuitively understand.
In a recent sermon, the teacher spoke of the daily need to verbally assure his wife and children of his love for them. He laughingly declared he thought getting married was a one and done in the need for love declarations. His wife taught him the lesson of the need for reassurance day in - day out---on the days of joy and in the depths of despair or anger---we have a need for love to be affirmed. Perhaps man's greatest need---is the need to understand He is loved.
God's love is another dimension of love. A love far greater than our stunted heart can understand. Read the Love Letter----His love has no bounds---all we have to do is consider what He has done for us to ensure our eternal relationship with Him. He loves us--has a good plan for us--and even in our moments of failure---He shows us His grace and love. God tells us He loves us by His acts of grace, His gifts of provision, and the wonderous creation He placed all around us. God's love- is verbalized in the song of the breeze, the babble of the brook, the call of the birds, the beauty of the flora, and the change of the season to name a few. God shouts His love for us---in the community He gives us--the love of our family--and the warmth of a hug.
What happens when we utter those words, "I love you"? We are reminding another of the depth of our feelings for them. We are stating what should be obvious in our actions, yet the verbal reassurance reminds us ---we are loved. Man was created with an emotional need to be loved. There is one other thing which happens when we tell someone, "I love you.", we are reminding ourselves of the responsibility--the commitment--the choice we have made to love them. Love is not to be taken lightly---it comes with a sacrifice and not just a sacrifice of a few idly tossed out words. Love is truly displayed by our actions. One of those actions---perhaps one of the more important is our willingness to declare--remind--restate--to our loved one and ourselves the depth of our feelings. Feelings which are modeled by The Author of Love---the one who loves us all best.
"We love,
because He first loved us."
I John 4:19
Your upbringing sounds a lot like mine, Lulu. Love was something to be assumed, not shown demonstrably. Needless to say, I outgrew that ages ago. My grown children are quick to affirm their love with those beautiful "I love yous" whenever we talk. Life is too short not to show love for one another. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteAMEN--and we certainly could use the reassurance we are loved in today's world!
DeleteBlessings, Martha!