Your First Step to Beautiful

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain Faith, Hope, and Love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." NIV
love. what does it mean to love? 

I can honestly say that until I became a mother, I had no clue what real love was all about. I said I love you to my husband, and I did love him, but the truth is I never really knew what true love was, until we had our first son. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. I remember the hold he had on my heart and how I ran every time he whimpered. I remember the hurt I felt when I had to go back to work, and the joy when he took his first step.  I remember the pain when he left for college, and how happy I was when I heard he was returning home.

We are parents again with number five, and my heart melts every time I look at our now 3 1/2 year old. When he calls my name (mommy) over and over again, I have to admit,  I get frustrated at times because I'm busy or tired, but mostly I just want to say "Yes, prince, what can I do for you today?"

Ever wonder what God's reaction is when you call his name over and over again? Do you ever wonder if he's too busy, too tired, or if He gets frustrated? What about when you fall away in sin, do you wonder if he cares? Does his heart melt when he sees you turn back his way?

Psalm 40:1-2 "I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." NIV

Psalm 145:18 " The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." NIV

God's Word plainly says He hears our cry and saves us. Isn't that what mothers do? How many times have you sat up in the middle of the night thinking you heard your child call your name and, once confirmed you went running? If you got a call saying, "Mom, I'm sick can you come get me?" would your answer be "No, I'm busy, I can't come right now"? Of course not, you'd run to his rescue.
When we do these things, are we not reflecting Gods love?

 1John 4:7-9 "Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God, for God is love." NIV

Do you know the Father's love? Have you seen and experienced it? Are you living it? The Bible says:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." NIV

I could not do what God did. I'd rather die myself, if the choice was given. It would break my heart to sacrifice my son that way. 

I'm certain the heart of God was broken to see Jesus hanging on that cross, to hear him cry for help. But it had to be for the scriptures to be fulfilled. 

As the song is written: "I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken........ Amazing love,  how can it be, that you my king he would die for me?"  
 Prior to Jesus death Jesus was speaking to his his Apostles: 

"You know the way to the place where I am going." 
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 
Jesus answered,  
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:4-6 NIV
  
A mother's love is not living proof that we know God's love. Knowing Jesus is. In fact, knowing him personally, is your first step to beautiful. Do you know him?