Can't Get Enough of that Love Stuff

Ephesians 3:16-18
 ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.


This is one of my favorite verses, partly because it is one that I memorized at an early age, but mostly because of it's mind blowing reminder.  Today I read this verse in my devotional, and although I've heard it, said it,and turned to it many times, I looked at it a bit differently today.  I actually read my Bible commentary for once, and you know what? It said some good stuff. :)

I've always read this verse and thought "to know that God's love encompasses us like a huge moving box, means He loves me a lot, that no matter what, He's got a lot of love for me." I've always known that, but to what degree? My commentary explained just how much those dimensions are:
His love is WIDE: It spans the entire world! His love reaches around to all people!
His love is LONG: His love for me will remain with me the ENTIRE length of my life! It doesn't end!
His love is HIGH: He is elated when I am experiencing joys and high times in my life! He is even more excited than I am!
His love is DEEP: Just as He rejoices with me in the high moments, His love reaches down to the depths of my despair and heartaches. Even when I may be at my lowest, and farthest away from Him, His love extends far enough to find me there!

Wow! I've always known He's got a lot of love, endless, unconditional love, but I enjoyed picking this verse apart and really looking at what those dimensions of His love mean!

In light of yesterday's verse/thoughts, I got to thinking, if we are to love God, and in return love His people, shouldn't we first see how He loves us? If His love for us has no bounds and stretches from the highest of heights to the darkest depths, and follows us our entire lives, and then flows out to reach all around the world, then that is how we should first love Him, and then extend that to others. As Christians, we should love God during our highs, down in our pits, as long as we have breath, and then stretch that love out to everyone else, not just our family, or those we call friends,...everyone! If God loves us this much, and we can begin to grasp that love, than it just makes sense that we need to love others the same way! I think it's easy to love my family like that, and of course my husband, but it's a little more challenging to really love God this way, not to mention ...strangers..or that kid who wronged my family.. or that woman who seems to have "everything".. I think you get my point. It's easy to love our family because we are a part of each other, we are comfortable and safe with one another, but to extend that to someone else, or an unseen God is kind of scary. But His word says we don't have to doubt His love for us, it's incomprehensible! We need to start accepting it, living it and giving it!

May our love stretch wide, reach to the highest heights, ascend to the darkest depths, and have no end. Love!