Loved
I'm not wearing any make-up. My hair is a mess. The early morning sunlight streams through the kitchen window and he looks up over his coffee to say, "Hey, beautiful."
I will never understand this. How love can look past the immediate and see in one glance not just what's right in front it but the essence of a person. Yes, he sees me standing in the doorway but somehow he also still sees the girl standing at the altar in a white dress too.
Solomon said, "Love covers a multitude of sins."
My husband can see past the tangled hair, the sleepy eyes, the ragged shirt because of love.
And he's not the only one.
God sees us that way too. We stand in front of Him with our messy lives, our bare souls and we are certain that there isn't any beauty to behold.
Then He catches us by surprise, looks our way and says, "Hey, beautiful."
Yes, husband or not, you are loved that way too.
Loved by the God who flung the stars into space, who called your name before you ever came into being, who pursues you relentlessly and passionately.
"As women, we are experts at earning the affections of friends, lovers, children and our families. Coming face-to-face with a God who loves us unconditionally sets us off balance....It's scary to believe in God's unconditional love. What if it's not true? Then the deepest desire of every little girl and every grown woman can never be a reality.
We watch Cinderella and hope for our own version of living happily ever after. But life disappoints us, and God is our last chance to be fully, deeply loved. So we do everything possible to please Him because even though we've endured many rejections, His would be unbearable.
But God is whispering the words to our hearts we long to hear if only we can dare to believe them: 'You are loved--deeply, truly, always.' "--God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman
No matter how it may feel, you are seen through eyes of love. You are chosen, wanted, cherished right now and forever after.
No make-up. Messy hair. Messy life too.
It's all made beautiful by the One who loves you.
What's a time in your life when you felt God's love?
"In God's Heart I Am..." photo above by Doreen Grace.
Would you like to leave a comment or Subscribe by Email?
Holley Gerth
Reader Comments (49)
I needed this reminder.
smooches,
Larie
Thanks for the message, Holley!
I needed to be reminded of that truth.
It's easy to fall into thinking "If I'm perfectly good ALL the time and do EVERYTHING right, God will love me."
It's important to realize and then remember that God loves us just as much when we're messy as when we're the epitome of sheer perfection. And there's nothing we can do to make him love us less or more. We're His workmanship, His masterpiece.
I needed this today. Thank you.
Your husband sounds like mine. What a blessing.
Man looks at the appearance, but God looks at the heart.
Pray for me. I lost my 80 year old mother on July 29th.
The memorial and reunion with family and friends in CA
was beautiful and my sister even found a tape of Mom
singing "Safe In The Arms of Jesus" of which they played
at the end of the service. God is so good! May be bless
you abundantly...
Holley, thanks so much for this beautiful post. I needed it, too!
One of my favorite memories of God's love being shown to me happened one day in church while I was worshipping. I had this image come to mind of Jesus walking up to me in a great ballroom. He had this beautiful smile on His face and His arms were outstretched, asking me to dance. I said yes, and was swept away across the dance floor in His arms. I often focus on this image when I worship because it just speaks of this unconditional love I am so desperate for.
Dear Holley,
Thanks for this encouraging post. How wonderful it is to know and feel that God really Loves us unconditionally and that we cannot lose his Love! That his Love lasts forever and will never end!
Many Blessings to you and Mark
Sis in Christ
Holley, sometimes I feel I am "there"; then, like you say, the doubt sets in. After reading this it is JUST what I needed to hear! God Bless and Thank You. :-)
You encouraged me today with this reminder ! Hope has a way of turning it's face to me just when I least expect it .. I needed to hear that today, thank you so much !
With a grateful heart, Tania
thankyou very much and bless you i enjoyed this very much i beleave what you have said although dont know this uncontinal love yet nor have i ever recvied it from any man, only great friendships, i belleave i can. take care
leena
Thanks for sharing this special message Holley. These words will warm up my heart and my soul on the days that the sun don't shine and everything seem bleurgh..... Blessed be.