"Lauren, who loves you?"

My daddy tiptoed into my room to tuck me in and kiss me goodnight. He sat down on the edge of my bed, and, just like he always did, he asked me the familiar questions, followed by my familar answers...

"Lauren, who loves you?"
Daddy.
"Alot? Or a little bit?"
Alot.
"More yesterday or today?"
Today.
"More today or tomorrow?"
Tomorrow.
"What can you do to make me love you more?"
Nothing.
"What can you do to make me love you less?"
Nothing.

I remember many of these nights growing up, when my dad would come into my room shortly after the lights were out and we'd go through this little bedtime routine of ours...him asking the questions. me answering. He didn't ask me those questions because he needed to find out who loved me, how much he loved me, or whether he loved me a lot of a little bit. No! He asked me those questions to remind me of what a love he had for me, to reassure me that his love was huge, always increasing, and unconditional. He loved me a lot. not just a little bit. He loved me more today than he did yesterday, and he'll love me more tomorrow than he does today. And there is nothing that I could do to make him love me more or less. It's an unconditional, life-long love.

When I think of the love that my dad, Scott Reavely, has for me, I'm amazed that he would choose to love me the way he does. But how much more does my Heavenly Father love me! Wow.

Now, I don't mean to make my dad out to be a perfect lover. He obviously makes his mistakes too. But, just think, if I can be so thankful for my dad's love, coming from one who does make mistakes and doesn't love me perfectly..what am I going to say to God's love? He not only loves me infinitely more than my dad ever could, but He is the perfect Lover!

Look at what He tells us about His love:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God!" (1 John 3:1)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..." (John 3:16)

As I read such expressions of affection, written in His love letter, my Father, just like He always does, gently reminds me of the familiar truths, followed by my ever thankful responses.

"Lauren, who loves you?"
My Creator.
"Alot or a little bit?"
Alot!
"More yesterday or today? More today or tomorrow?"
Forever.
"What can you do to make me love you more?"
Nothing.
"What can you do to make me love you less?"
Nothing.