How deep is your love?

(photo credit: mountainjackpot.com)

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.  No, I’m not referencing Charles Dickens’ 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities. I’m referencing the music of the 1970’s, my formative teenage years.  Ask almost any adult about their favorite music and the most likely answer will be whatever was popular during the decade between their 15^th and 25^th birthdays.  For me that was 1976-1986.  Best. Music. Ever.

Unfortunately, that time period also included disco.  

I still recall Casey Kasem counting down the American Top 40 Hits at the end of the year.  “1978 will be known as the Year of the Bee Gees!”  Five of the top 10 songs of that year were sung either by the Bee Gees (Brothers Gibb) or their little brother Andy.  Thankfully Queen (We Will Rock You / We are the Champions) and Kansas (Dust in the Wind) redeemed the year for me.

One of those Gibb tunes was “How Deep is Your Love.”  Man, were there a lot of sad, hormonal teenagers asking that question! And, as with most teen romances, we found out the answer to that question was, “Not very.”  Fortunately, I found one whose love was deep and who drew the depths of love out of me.  Mrs. Sweetie and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage this summer.

I found more about the depth of love almost 26 years ago when I started the journey of fatherhood.  Those young ‘uns are all grown up and married now, but I am often overwhelmed at how much I love them.  We just spent a weekend with them in Amarillo and I came away with an incredible sense of how blessed and proud I am to be their dad (and dad-in-law).  If they were to ask me, “How deep is your love for us,” I would have to tell them that they can’t touch the bottom of that pool.

I have to acknowledge, however, that there is a depth of love that makes mine look like a leaky kiddy pool.  Ephesians 3:14-18 says, “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” (New Living Translation)

That’s not a pool.  That’s an ocean so deep it can’t really be measured. The best way I show the depth of my love is to point to the depth of the love of the One to whom our lives matter most.

Sit and think about that one for awhile.  I’m praying that you are overwhelmed. 

What is your response to the depth of God's love?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your perspective.