This is the second of 25 special reflections based on lessons I learned from my mother. These will run from my birthday on October 27 until her birthday on November 20.
Read
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Ephesians 2:4-5
Reflect
One of the best things about my Mom was her mother. Not only did we have the best mother in the world – we had Grandma Brassell, the best grandmother in the world. Mom and Grandma had an incredible relationship with one another, and the children and grandchildren were huge beneficiaries of that relationship.
The benefit wasn’t so much financial, though Grandma was as generous as her limited income would allow. The greatest benefit was love, and she had an infinite supply of that to share. When I was grown, Mom told me about something Grandma said on the day I was born. She told Mom, “I love all of my grandchildren, Judy, but I just know I’m going to love this one special.” It felt so great to hear that, but I never would have known that Grandma loved me uniquely because it seemed to me that she loved all of her grandchildren that way. And even though we all love all of our grandparents, I know for a fact that every one of us saw her as our favorite grandmother.
It was kind of the same way with Mom. I had such a wonderfully close relationship with my mother. I loved talking with my Mom, and I looked forward to seeing her. For 12 years, I lived just a mile down the road from her, and at times that seemed too close. But for the most part, it just cut down the distance it took to go see her. Secretly, I knew that I was her favorite … and if you asked my brother and sister, they would have given the same answer. Mom’s relationship with each of us made us feel unique and special, as though we were her favorite child whenever we spent time with her. She cherished her children, and her love for us came through time and time again.
That model of love is kind of how God loves each of us, but His love is even greater – and more complex – than a parent’s love for their child. On the one hand, God loves all of His creation, and He has an intense desire to have a close relationship with everyone He has created. His love extends to everyone, and each person who turns to Him will instantly discover that the Lord’s infinite love has been there waiting for them the entire time.
When it comes to those who follow Him, It’s probably easy to think that someone “amazing” is loved by God so much more than ourselves. Certainly, the Lord had a more special love for someone like Billy Graham or Pope John Paul II or Mother Teresa than He does for someone like me, right? Not so. Certain people may follow the Lord more closely, but the Lord doesn’t care for Mother Teresa any more than He cares for you. Our relationship with Him may be different, but the love we’re able to share with Him is unlimited. Every person who follows God could probably say they’re His favorite because His love for you is endless, just as it has been for every person who has ever called Him Lord.
If you’re feeling distant from God, know that it has nothing to do with Him. His love is right in front of you, waiting for you to open the door for Him to reenter your life. To paraphrase my grandmother, the Lord is saying about you, “I love all of my children, but I just know that I’m going to love this one special.”
Reflection copyright © 2024 Doug DeBolt.
