Cried out in stadiums, “Can you feel the love?” is more worthy of an exclamation point than a question mark. In whispered conversations it’s grumbled with deep sarcasm and a roll of the eyes. Forget the question mark. Finish it with a period.
That same question rises earnestly from deep inside me as I look into the eyes of my grandchildren. Silently I ask, “Can you feel the love? Can you see in my eyes how much I love you? CAN – YOU – FEEL – THE – LOVE!”. My throat clenches and I want to cry.
I love conversations with my older grands. They casually tell me about their lives and what their interests are at the moment. School. Friends. What’s fair and unfair. Likes and dislikes. Parents. (I smile.) How my phone works – yep. But then I find myself lost in THEM. “Remember this face,” I think, “this smile, in this moment at this age. Their eyes – can they see my love pouring out for them?” I reel it in, bringing myself back to our conversation, feeling like I’ve just entered into it from another room.
With the younger grands I’m free to be bold. “Come here for just a sec! Let me see those eyes!” I cup their face in my hands, willing them to peer deep. They smile at me, expectantly, quizzically. Are they able to see in my eyes the wonderful hurt that comes from a love that I can’t explain? Does that piercing love, when it goes out from me, ache in them when it’s received?
God questions me, “Can you feel the love? Can you see in my Word how much I love you? Search deeply, receive, and live!”
Jesus was pierced for my sin because of His love for me. Now I ache with a deep love for Him. Will my grandchildren ever understand the depth of my love that I have for them? They may some day when they are grandparents. In the meantime I will continue to love them without measure. Because that is how my God loves me.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1John 3:1
diane in faith 