Sincerely. Love, Sandy

What proves that we truly, honestly, genuinely love someone?

Yesterday, I was asked by a friend who is desperately in love with someone who has left him how he could demonstrate the depth of his love so that she might understand how much he cares for her. He wanted to be certain that he wrote the right things and avoided writing anything that might seem manipulative or contrived.

What a precious thing it is to be truly loved. For thirty years I have been married, and today, I love my husband more than I ever imagined I could or would. We have been through trials, troubles, tests and triumphs--all the while trusting that we could count on each other to be there for encouragement, empathy, sympathy and loyalty.

Hopefully, if you asked my husband, he would say that he knows I love him because I demonstrate my love for him tangibly--just as he does in return. We are allies, we are confidants, we are friends.

A lot of people say they love God's Son, Jesus Christ. Today, I want to ask you to consider whether the love you claim to have for him is evidenced by your choices, decisions, words and actions. This is the question I am asking myself as I read the passages of scripture that continue my journey through the Bible.

Psalm 26, 40, 58, 61-62, and 64 are songs written by King David in the midst of persecution and assaults. He cried out to God, expressing his fear, his trust, his love and his praise as one who realized that his life depended on God's provision and protection.

I have asked myself today if what I say, the way I live and the things I value confirm the love I profess for my Savior. I am convicted by the awareness that there are days I neglect my time with him, sending up little more than a flippant prayer and a thankful blessing at mealtime--and yet he gives me my very next breath.

David loved God and he proved it time and again in by his actions and through the songs and prayers that were in his heart. I hope these verses, along with my friend's request for help as he worked to craft a letter that would convey the depth of his love and devotion for his sweetheart, will serve to remind me that I owe my Lord Jesus nothing less than careful, genuine, deliberate honor if I want to demonstrate that my love for him is sincere.