Monday, July 6, 2009

The Ultimate Picture of Love

Sometimes, well most times, I'm truly amazed when God sends something my way. I'm growing daily in His word and sometimes I get the education where I'm not really expecting it. My little sister, I call her Brat, sent this in an email today. I wanted to share it with everyone. I'm so overflowing with the Holy Spirit and God today. I'm truly amazed that there are people who do not believe in the Almighty God. I feel sorry for them and truly hope I can touch someone with my writings. Here is the email, my sister sent, Enjoy and feel free to copy and send out from my post or email me and I'll forward you a copy. May God smile upon each and everyone who reads this or shares it with someone else. My sister's real name by the way is Mara. Please say a little prayer that she will continue to help me grow in my journey with God. Love, L.


What is the ultimate picture of love? It is Jesus Christ hanging on the cross for our sins. How are his arms placed? Open wide, as if to reach out and wrap us in his arms for a hug. How do we show people we love them? By giving them a hug. Every time we open wide our arms to hug someone, we are telling them we love them, just as Jesus showed his love for us. We don’t have to give people hugs. I’ve never seen someone being forced to give a hug. Sure, they can go through the motions but their arms never open wide to receive the other person in to their space. An open armed hug, is saying to people, “I am opening myself up to you. I can be hurt, but that’s ok. I’m receiving you and anything you bring into my space with acceptance and love. I am making a sacrifice for you. I want you to know I am giving you a part of me that I can never get back. I am making myself vulnerable to you.
That’s what Jesus was showing on the cross. He was saying, “I am opening my arms wide for you, all of you. You can step into my arms and receive my love. I don’t hold it back from anyone who takes it. It is my gift. Some of you will hurt me, but that’s ok. I accept you and anything you bring into my arms. I love you unconditionally. I am your refuge from all the pain in the world. My arms will never close.”
Every time I see arms wide open, I now see Jesus on the cross. It is a picture of love beyond our human understanding. It is a picture of something I want to learn to give and receive. When we stand and praise the Lord, we raise our arms open wide to Him. We are telling Him, we love you and want to give and receive a hug today. How many times have you looked at someone close to you, and said “I need a hug today”. Did you feel their love? How much greater the love when you stop in your day, look at the Lord, and say, “I need a hug today”. As a parent, have you ever told your child, “No, I’m out of hugs today.” God won’t tell us that either. Sometimes, when I feel I’ve been battling hard, I just go to my prayer bench, lie across it, and ask God to wrap me in his arms and hug me close. It’s soft as cotton and cool as a breeze in spring. It is sweet as candy and fragrant as flowers. I can rest in the comfort of knowing that all I have to do is ask Him for a hug. I will find rest.

Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.