What Could Be Deeper than This?

Our son accepted an offer from a fantastic university.
Our daughter shared her testimony at church.
We watched our son graduate high school, looking dapper in his black suit—while his sister emceed the event.

And in all of it, we simply got to sit back and enjoy our kids.

We found ourselves thinking, “That’s my boy up there.” Or, “Look at my girl doing her thing.”

We were undoubtedly proud of their achievements, accolades, and abilities.

But, as every parent knows, we would be proud of our kids even without any of it. We’re proud of them for who they are and not for what they’ve done.

We love them not because of their laurels, but because…we love them! There are no “reasons” for that kind of love.

And that’s how the Father loves us. Except, of course, His love is infinitely greater than we can ever comprehend.

He doesn’t love us because of our involvement at church or because of our disciplined Bible study or because of our strong moral compass.

He loves us because that’s who He is. 

I’ve followed Jesus for decades, and I still need that reminder. Or maybe it’s because I’ve been a Christian for so long that I need that reminder.

Tomorrow, we’ll be teaching this simple truth to a group of kids at Vacation Bible School.
We’ll serve heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cookies, and share a three-word truth: God is love.

That is Who He is.

But for those of us who’ve heard those words for years, has that truth become too familiar?
Has it become something we teach our little ones… but no longer receive?

I know I sometimes gloss over it. I find myself reaching for “deeper” theological ideas.

But what could be deeper than this?

Could I invite you today to sit with these words from Romans 8:38–39:

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.

Friend, may you and I be truly convinced—fully persuaded—that nothing can separate us from His love.

There’s a story about the theologian Karl Barth. When asked to summarize the most important theological truth he had ever preached, he said:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

No matter our age, how often we’ve heard it, or how distant we may feel—may we pause and receive this again:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called His children. (1 John 3:1)