Melting in His Love

God's love simply melts me.

Last Saturday evening we spent a glorious zoo symphony evening with friends (and about 5000 other people.) We saw and heard the lions roar all evening, the pea hens singing in the trees and were raptured by Gershwin music.

For the first time in a long time I was glad to be in church. Some weeks it's just "business as usual" but yesterday was Amazing Grace, Because He Loved Me So and I Know I Am Loved By The King and It Makes My Heart Want to Sing. As I looked around the assembly at the people we know and some we don't, I felt I was sitting in the midst of love.

Our zoo friends and another couple along with his mother, wanted to take us to lunch on our anniversary. The seven of us were seated on CPK's patio where we were able to watch children running through the water event they have at ABQ Uptown. Streams of water shoot up at various times and the kids love it. One little boy was precious as he got closer and closer, screaming all the way, until he was as drenched as his two older brothers. We talked and laughed and my heart was filled with love for the relationships God has placed in our lives.

Still under "the influence" today, I drove to the chiropractor. As happens too often, I lost my sense of direction and turned the wrong way. I haven't driven much in Albuquerque so it's always just guess and be golly when I get out in my car. Feeling a little discouraged because it happens so often, I did something I don't think I've ever done before. I don't know if the Holy Spirit prompted me or how God did it, but I had a really fine God Moment right then.

I turned the car around and sighed, "God, talk to me." I turned on Sirius radio and punched the Elvis channel. Out of the speakers I heard God's voice singing through Elvis.

"For you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell."

My heart melted.

Mountains of Love

I look out the windows from the back of my house and see 10,000 foot high Sandia Peak. The Sandias snake around from north to east. To our south are Four Hills. With the exception of our west, we are guarded by mountains. Even farther to the west over 65 miles away is Mount Taylor. On the other side of the mountains to the east the weather is quite different. When it's cool here, it is cold there. When we get a sprinkling of snow flakes and light breeze here, they have strong winds and snowdrifts. The Sandias protect us from the inclement weather.

The thought came to me yesterday how much like God these mountains are. They are immovable, solid and faithful. Whatever is on the other side can't get to us on this side--as long as we stay here. An Ephesians 3:18 scripture came to mind. Paul prays for the Ephesians may comprehend with all the saints (us) what is the width and length and depth and height of God's love. What does that mean? The width of His grace; the length of His long suffering and mercy; the depth of His forgiveness and the height of His redemption. In other words the width, length, depth and height are without end. There's no stopping place.

Sometimes I feel God isn't as present as I need Him to be. Then I look across the miles to Mount Taylor and know that He is guarding all sides of my life even when I'm not aware of Him.

My mountains remind me of Him every time I look at them. I think it would do us all good to find something in our lives that we see every day as a reminder of God's love.