The Cray Cray Love of Parents and God

I’m watching you, moms and dads. You’re the ones who continue to post photos and videos of your child or children receiving awards for their intellectual achievements and athletic abilities (even though some of you admitted that your child’s team never won a game – they still received an award). You are the ones standing on your tippy toes, on the floor at the front of the crowd, capturing it all on video or camera. You are leaning in and shushing anyone around you who is taking away from their moment on the stage. Your child crosses the stage to receive their diploma or award and your hands are waving wildly and you are screaming out their name with pride and joy.

You don’t give up and you don’t even consider yourself looking a little cray cray. Your eyes are locked on your child and there is nothing that will stand in your way. You are so crazy proud and crazy in love with this child – you just can’t help yourself.

And if you think you have an indescribable love for your kids -- it no way compares to how wild God is for us. He is on the front row and if He had a camera, He’d be taking pictures and videos of you, too. Here’s why I know that’s true. God is among us. He’s everywhere, but right here close to us. Don’t miss it. He wrote all about His love in His Holy Word and His wild display of affection for us is written there -- living and active. "He appeared to me saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness, I have drawn you. (Jeremiah 31:3) He’s eager to be near to us when we believe no one else wants to be. (Psalm 34:18) He draws near to us and sticks with us as we go through our day.

Jesus’ love looks crazy. What did people say of Jesus as he showed crazy love and said He was God? “He’s crazy, a maniac -- out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?” (John 10:20) He was so crazy that He gave up His own life for you and me. Jesus’ crazy love is still after you and me. It doesn’t care about mess-ups and our past. His love is way beyond you moms and dads who are so crazy in love with your kiddos. He is waving at you, desiring you and moving with you throughout your day of joys and sorrows, comforts and discomforts, acceptance and rejection, wins and defeats.

Your kids may get a little embarrassed with your audacious display of affection and may even look away thinking “Maybe if I don’t look at them, no one will know I’m with them!” But, DON’T be embarrassed as God’s kids. Let’s embrace His crazy love and not look the other way. Let’s embrace His pursuit and His affection. Jesus is crazy about you. Just know that. Receive that. Sit in that. Dwell in that. Bathe in that – and receive His indescribable, unrelenting, reckless, crazy love.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine.
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.