I Love You, Lord

I love you, O LORD, my strength.

How often do you stop and tell God you love him? As you go through your day—running errands, sweeping crumbs, spending time with family, coworkers, and friends—does a deep love for God flavor your speech and fill your heart with joy?

I tell my children quite often that I love them. As they pretend to be superheroes or tell me a silly story, my heart brims with emotion and I can’t help but tell them right away they are loved and cherished. I tell my husband I love him each time we part, even at the end of a quick call. It hit me recently: Do I do this for God, my Maker, my King, my Sustainer? Do I stop to tell him I love him, enjoy him, and delight in him?

So I’ve started making it a practice to tell God I love him as I go through my day. Instead of reserving adoration for when I’m at church or reading my Bible, I praise him as I go—both out loud and in my heart.

When you take a bite of your favorite meal, your mouth exploding with delight at the flavors God has made, tell him you love him.

When you go on an evening walk, the breeze tickling your skin and the glow of the setting sun contrasting the shadows of the trees, tell God you love him.

When you sit in the car for yet another commute or car pool line, tell God you love him.

When you are waiting for news from the doctor’s office, tell God you love him.

When you laugh so hard you cry as you enjoy the company of good friends, tell God you love him.

When you listen to a sermon and the Holy Spirit stirs your heart to repentance and obedience, tell God you love him.

There is no time, no circumstance, no moment when love for God should not fuel our affections (see Matthew 22:37-39). Even when we walk through hardship, we can proclaim with our souls and our lips that we love the Lord. And when life is flourishing with joy-filled moments, we can proclaim again that his love endures forever.

It is not our love for God that draws us to him; rather, it’s his love that drew us first (see 1 John 4:19). So tell God you love him today. Remind your soul of his goodness (see Psalm 136). Talk to him as you would talk to a friend. Pray in the easy moments as well as the hard moments.

Even when we falter and forget God, his love for us never fails (see Jeremiah 31:3; 1 Corinthians 13:8). Receive God’s unfathomable grace. Marvel in his kindness toward you. Treasure the reality that you are fiercely loved by the same God who made the universe! May it become a reflex to dwell richly in God’s love (see Ephesians 3:17-19; 1 John 4:16), to tell him we love him, and to praise him for his lovingkindness—both out loud with our lips and deep within our hearts.

Word before World The steadfast love of the Lord never diminishes or dwindles. In response to this remarkable love, our hearts can overflow with praise and love for God.

Grow in Grace Begin your day by telling God you love him. As you fill your heart with adoration, it will become second nature for you to express your love for God throughout the day.