Affection

This is probably the first time in my life that I have felt the AFFECTION of God over me.

I’ve felt His love.... His commitment to me.

I’ve experienced His provision and His constant, sustaining presence.

I’ve been wrapped up in His faithfulness.

I’ve even learned to trust His goodness in the midst of personal hell.

But THIS is more.

This is a bubbling over kind of joy.

This is the oh-so-fabulous sense of falling back into glorious, unrestrained beauty.

Because, for whatever reason, I am 100% convinced that God LIKES me.

When I am selfish, lazy, fleshy and narrow minded, He still likes me.

When I watch too much TV and isolate from the world around me, He still likes me.

When I react stupidly and out of insecurity, He still likes me.

Have you heard Kim Walker’s song, “How He Loves Us”?

Alisa and I can’t help but picture a frosty ale glass in hand, sloshing frothy goodness as we swing our arms back and forth and sing, “Oooooh how He loves us. He loves us. Oooooh how He looooooves us...”

It seems silly and we laugh about it as we remind each other that all of life’s weird and painful circumstances can be faced with the joy of our exuberant swinging and singing.

Aaahh, but I am really, truly soaking in the affection of God. The splashing beer and wild Jesus bar song are vivid reflections of the joy I feel in knowing that I am liked.

For whatever reason (and I will never begin to understand it), I am thoroughly and unwaveringly liked by the King of Heaven.

“Oooooh how He loves us. He loves us. Oooooh how He loooooves us....”