Because I love you

"I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God. " Romans 8:38-39

An unborn baby came to God in prayer:
Her words were unformed, her body still a handful of cells,
but her maker understood her silent, unspoken question:
"What is happening to me?"
God breathed life into her tiny body.
Because I love you,
God said,
You are alive.

A growing child came to God in prayer:
"Who are you?" the child asked, curious and inquisitive, ready and open to learn.
And God surrounded him with people who would help him discover the answer:
Parents and siblings,
Nannys and Grandpa's,
Aunts and Uncles,
Teachers and Scout leaders,
friends,
and enemies,
and a church family.
Because I love you,
God said
I will teach you.

A nervous bridegroom came to God in prayer:
"I can't believe we're really doing this," he whispered, astonished,
as he pondered the significance of what they were about to do,
awareness and mystery knotting themselves together into a ball of nerves and energy in his belly.
And God saw all that was to come -
The thrill of intimacy and the joy of companionship,
the making of memories and the living nightmares,
the blazing rows, the working it out, the lessons learned,
the losses mourned and the blessings celebrated -
And, smiling, God blessed their union.
Because I love you,
God said,
You will know the richness of loving, and the richness of being loved.

A busy family forgot to come to God in prayer:
"So much to do!", they exclaimed,
as they dashed and darted between things to do, places to be, and people to see.
And God missed their company.
But still,
Because I love you,
God said,
I will send you many blessings to enjoy,
and even though you do not see they are from me now,
I will give them anyway,
and perhaps one day you will look back in thanks, and know.

A doubting disciple came to God in prayer:
"How could you let this happen?" she half challenged, half lamented,
as she tried to make sense of what didn't make sense,
and suffered the mindless explanations offered by the well-meaning
but not-understanding people around her.
"It isn't right, it isn't fair. Aren't you supposed to be good?"
And in loving mercy, God listened to every question and every objection.
Because I love you,
God said,
You can be honest with me. I can take it.

A grieving widow came to God in prayer:
At first there were no words, just a stunned numbness, as she waited for reality to kick back in.
And then it hit her - a tsunami of sadness and loneliness and fear and regret,
Wave after wave taking her by surprise
just as the previous one subsided, and she had thought it was over.
"How can I go on?" she sobbed, desperate for something to cling onto.
And God held her.
Because I love you,
God said,
You will be hard pressed but not destroyed.

A dying man came to God in prayer:
"Living God, have mercy on me!" he begged.
"For my days are numbered, and my sins are many".
And God pointed to the cross, where Christ had paid the ultimate price of love,
so that all who believed might not perish,
but have eternal life.
Because I love you,
God said,
You can rest in peace.

A congregation came to God in prayer, as they remembered those whom they had loved and lost.
They sang, and they remembered, they lit candles and they wept.
And God saw them, and had compassion on them.
Comfort, comfort, my people.
God said.
Because I love you,
You are never alone, for I am with you.
Because I love you.