“Get the baby out! Get the baby out! Get Dad!” A bone-chilling scream and an explosion of light shattered my serenity in the world of a book I was reading.

When I was a child, my mom lowered a basket of frozen french fries into heated oil on a gas stove. Flames exploded and flesh burned. Oblivious to her own pain, she was more concerned about my baby brother in a playpen in the kitchen.

I grabbed my brother and rushed out to the barn while Mom put out the flames burning the paper towel on a plate in her hands and traveling up the kitchen curtains.

It wasn’t always easy living with a depressed mom, and it wasn’t always easy for her to show her love to us when depression sucked the life out of her. As a child, I couldn’t always feel the love, but as I grew older and worked on all the feelings of guilt and desertion, my eyes opened to the sacrificial love she did show us in spite of her depression. I still vision those hands, scarred from 2nd and 3rd degree burns. A monument of love and a signpost to Jesus and His sacrifice for us.

We may love family and friends so deeply that we would gladly take their burdens from them and bear them ourselves if we could. We would even be willing to take a bullet for them. But our love isn’t even a drop in the bottomless ocean of God’s love for us. God sent His own Son to take our place. Jesus willingly took on the heavy burden of our sins and suffered the punishment for us. Excruciating, unbearable suffering as whips slashed His flesh and nails pierced his hands and feet. Unspeakable anguish as the Father withdrew His presence. He was forsaken by God so we would never have to be forsaken. Incomprehensible, immeasurable, impassioned love.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”       (John 15:13)

Heart Longings

Precious Savior

Thank You for Your selfless sacrifice.

I can’t even think of adequate words to describe it.

Please burst my heart with Your love

So that it flows freely to those around me.

I long to give myself fully to You

To be a sacrifice of love

To a hurting world

Even if it hurts me.

Please help me to believe

More in Your love than in my weakness.

Jesus Loves

Oh, My beloved child

I have paid the ultimate price for you,

You don’t need to add anything to it.

My heart beats with powerful love for you,

A love that can never be measured.

Soak your heart in My love

And your life will pour out love to others.

Even when the way is rough

And you don’t understand,

Offer to Me

A sacrifice of praise.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  (I John 4:10)

“Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” (Hebrews 13:15 AMP)

Joining Faith Barista’s writing prompt:

Share your thoughts on love the day before Valentine’s Day.