Big Love

“Where’s the Big Love?”

Lena, our new puppy, responds to this prompt with kisses and the occasional love bite. She is gradually learning to restrain her puppy teeth and lick our outstretched hands, in exchange for more petting and loving on our part. (Each day there is more of her to love, as groomer appointments are scarce, and her Havanese hair is growing!)

Jesus extends to us Big Love, shaggy as we are.

This love is described by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

My Bible has a footnote corresponding to the phrase, surpasses knowledge. The love of God, it says, “is not unknowable, but so great it cannot be completely known.”

This love extends to each of us,”immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.” (Eph 3:20)

It takes the shape of a cross, of outstretched hands and overlapping feet cruelly pierced. It is abundantly evident in puppy kisses, waves lapping on sand, and bird chirps that rouse us earlier than we’d like.

How can we grasp this kind of love? The only fitting response is to stretch out our own hands, look up to the heavens, and give thanks.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 118:29

The Biggest Big Love we can imagine.

Codie, our golden retriever, has a footnote. Not everyone, she says, is giving thanks for Lena!