So often, I am completely blown away by the beautiful gifts the Father sends my way. Sometimes, these gifts come in the form of a loving roommate who surprises me with pancakes after a long week (shout out to Mary Mulligan). Other times, it is the Lord speaking something into my heart through a Scripture passage, reminding me of His deep and personal love. More recently, His gifts have come through the solidification of post-grad plans that are more wonderful than my wildest dreams. In all of these ways, He continually blesses me and I do my best to acknowledge that all these good things come from Him, my Father who is goodness itself.
As I reflect on these many blessings, I very quickly realize something that shakes me to my core: I am so very undeserving of His love and gifts. Like every other human being, I am broken and sinful and frequently faltering. He has loved me unwaveringly from the moment I was conceived. Yet, time and time again, I have turned away from Him in small and large ways, choosing my will instead of His. Am I a daughter deserving of the bountiful blessings He gives? By no means whatsoever. And yet, He looks right into my eyes and says, “I love you anyway.”
Brothers and sisters, I promise you He is saying the same to you each and every hour. Look around at the good gifts sprinkled throughout your day. Each one is the Father reminding you that you are important, cared for and loveable, regardless of where you have been or what you have done. He loves you anyway.
In acknowledging the Father’s boundless generosity and love, I have also been struck by another great truth. While He gives out immeasurable love, I am wrongly calculating my neighbors’ offenses against me. How often do I measure out the love I give by how I have been treated? Do I lessen the love when I feel I have been wronged? Do I cynically decide who is deserving and who is not? Do I only love the people I like, or am I making a conscious effort to love those who hurt me, too?
We have so much to learn from the Father’s unending charity. If we who are undeserving of His gifts are still given them freely, we must choose each and everyday to love boundlessly in this same way.