When my children were small, I often read them the bedtime story Guess How Much I Love You. A baby rabbit stretched his arms high and told his daddy he loved him that much. His father had longer arms, so he raised them up and said he loved his son even more. The baby hopped and said he loved his dad that high. The father could jump higher, and so he hopped to show his love was even greater. Finally, the baby rabbit said he loved his daddy all the way to the moon. The father thought for a moment and said, “I love you right up to the moon—and back.”
I like that story because it impressed upon my children what I couldn’t put into words. How could I tell them just how much I loved them? I know the ache of a parent’s heart when words fail, so I was amazed to hear that my heavenly Father feels the exact same way about me.
In an astounding prayer, Jesus asked His Father to unify us so “the world will know that you sent me and have loved them as much as you love me” (John 17:23). Our heavenly Father loves us as much as He loves His Son? I wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t in the Bible, and even then I wonder if I’m reading it correctly. But without question, that’s exactly what it says.
The God of the entire cosmos loves you as much as He loves anyone—as much as He loves His “one and only Son”! (John 3:16). Do you know what that means? You could not possibly be loved more—or better.
When I finished reading the bedtime story, I would tuck my children in and give them a goodnight kiss. There wasn’t anything for them to do but accept that they were loved. So it is with us. Snuggle in the warm embrace of your heavenly Father’s grace today.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Genesis 2:15–3:24
More:
Read Ephesians 3:14-21 and consider just how much your heavenly Father loves you.
Next:
What prevents you from accepting God’s love? How have you been showing your love for Him?
john maxwell on January 2, 2017 at 2:47 am
I have been reading Our Daily Bread on my ipad for 3 years but now I cannot open the daily reading page on my ipad. Can you help? God Bless
hsnpoor on January 2, 2017 at 3:42 am
Try directing your request for help to ODB’s “Contact Us” facility and someone should reply to you directly to your email. Go to top of page and click on “About” for a drop down menu that will include a “contact us” option.
Tom Felten on January 2, 2017 at 11:12 am
Hi John, you might try to: 1) Shut down and reboot your ipad; 2) Go into your browser history and erase the last few weeks or so from your cache. Hope this helps!
Gary Shultz on January 2, 2017 at 6:10 am
Hi Mike: I guess in 2017 we will still be plagued with IT and tech problems. Kim will get them on track. Anyway, your story is sooo true, if we could but only pursue the fact of God’s love for us we would be different. If we would live life knowing that each step God watches over us with care. If we are a child of Christ’s how great is our position. We read it, we know it, we study it, why is it so hard to practice being loved? Okay, it’s at times difficult to accept that God loves us that much, and to live that way. But is that doubt? Is our vision blurred, is faith slipping? To me, like many things living the life of a believer, and being God’s child, I just can’t fully understand. As your children had trouble understanding, and you were challenged to express something like love’s volume. How will we ever fully understand what God is offering us? But He can, He does, and He will not back away from His love. Thanks Mike, I’ll take it.
gagirllive on January 2, 2017 at 9:19 am
Happy New Year, Mike! This is a wonderful word today, and I thank you for it. I’m convinced that far too many Christians do not live like we are loved like this. We just don’t see ourselves being loved “just like Jesus” by the Father. We come into this grace accepting Christ’s sacrifice, and then we often live as though the Father is barely able to tolerate us. I catch a reflection of that in my own life more than I’d like to admit, and I have to repent and turn back to the truth. Yes—His WORD is Truth! Knowing and trusting God’s love for us is far more than an emotional experience, but I do believe He wants us to feel it and know it experiencially. That’s why I love meditating on the passage in Ephesians 3. I think what makes it so hard to wrap my mind around it is simply living in this fallen world that reeks of hatred, discord, and brokenness every where you turn. In addition to that is the personal onslaught of accusations from the enemy. But, once again, it goes back to believing the Truth. Also, in this passage our Lord is praying that the unity of believers would serve as a witness to the world that the Father sent Him and loves us just like He loves Jesus. If this can be made visible to the world, how much more should we know and experience it ourselves! Wow…lots to think about here, Mike. Thanks for getting the ball rolling in a good direction this new year. Grace and peace to you and all my fellow travelers today.