Lavish Love

Abraham has bonded with me. His face lights up when he sees me. He cries if, on the rare occasion, I leave him in another's care. When that happens, it's my cuddles and kisses that calm and reassure him. He reaches for me when I go to get him out of the crib. We've been sharing many special moments together, but my favorite by far is when I give him kisses all over his sweet little face. He grabs my hair, pulls me closer and coos with joy. I am head over heels in love with this little boy and I'm pretty sure he now feels the same about me.

But, this didn't happen over night. It's taken months of, not only meeting his basic, physical needs, but also meeting his emotional needs. Playing, cuddling, soothing, kissing...lavishing love on my littlest boy.

As I reflected one day on this transformation, God laid a verse on my heart. 1 John 3:1. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" What an awesome perspective God has given me! I am both the receiver of His lavish love on me, His adopted child, and the giver of lavish love to my adopted child, Abraham.

There was a time when I didn't know God, but He knew me.
He took the initiative to love me and to demonstrate His love for me.
He pursued me.
I quit running and accepted.
I'm now His adopted child.
His forever.
And He continues to lavish His love on me.

Another thought struck me today while I was giving Abraham his kisses. God initiated His relationship with us through a kiss. "The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7. God was so close to man as to breathe life into him. I've always envisioned this as a kiss. Imagine, the God of the universe being as close as a kiss. And, yet, how sadly ironic that Jesus, God in the flesh, was betrayed by man with a kiss. However, the kiss that Judas meant for evil, God meant for good. To bring us a different kind of life. An eternal life. God's love is lavish indeed!