A Child of God

I have fond memories of how my mother would light up when she recited this verse from 1 John. I could tell it spoke to her and touched her on a deep level. When my mother passed away a decade ago, my sister asked if there were any Bible verses she liked a lot, and I referred her to this one. At my mother’s funeral, the pastor shared this passage, proclaiming God’s immense love for us all.

As Mother’s Day comes and goes each year, I think of my mother. We had a strained relationship, but we both tried to love one another the best way we knew how. When I recall her favorite verse, I am reminded that our Father in heaven loves us as his children and desires to be close to us.

God loves us in ways that humans aren’t able to — with a pure, lavish, and unconditional affection that endures forever. May God’s example of love, through Jesus, inspire us to love one another more fully and abundantly.