Teaching a Child to Pray

How can anyone truly comprehend the love of God? He’s our Father, our Creator, the One to be revered, perfectly just, infinitely merciful, and overflowing with love. In fact, God is love itself. If you ever need proof, read 1 Corinthians 13 and replace every instance of “love” with “God.” It’s powerful. His love for us stretches far beyond human understanding. Yet, every now and then, we get tiny glimpses of it through the love we experience here on earth — little reflections of the power of God’s love. One of the first times I caught even a speck of what God’s love might look like was through my parents. I grew up in a home where love wasn’t just spoken, it was lived. Never once did I question whether my parents cared for me. They nurtured, guided, and cherished my siblings and me, even in our not-so-lovable moments. If flawed, imperfect humans can love so deeply, through toddler tantrums, teenage attitudes, and all the chaos in between, how much greater must God’s perfect love be? He is our heavenly Father, loving us as His precious sons and daughters. The love you feel from family, no matter how strong, isn’t even a sliver compared to the boundless love God has for you. Another way I’ve encountered God’s love is through my husband. This love is different, not parental, but chosen. Parents don’t get to pick their children, but in marriage, you intentionally choose someone and commit to love them for life, come what may. The Bible tells us that a husband and wife are to leave their father and mother and cling to one another (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is a covenant, a sacred promise before God. The love my husband and I share is imperfect but steadfast, a conscious decision every single day. Sometimes I marvel at how deeply my husband loves me, so patiently, so unconditionally, and then I remember that God’s love is even greater. That thought completely blows my mind! God chooses to love us, not because we’re perfect, but because it’s in His nature to love without limits. Recently, I’ve experienced another layer of understanding God’s love, through my baby girl, born this past July. She can’t yet say, “I love you,” but my heart overflows for her in ways I can’t describe. I’d do anything for her. And even if, someday, she pushes me away, says hurtful things, or walks a path that breaks my heart, I know I’ll still love her. Always. That’s how God feels about us. We sin, we ignore Him, we forget to pray, we fall short, yet His love never wavers. When I hold my daughter and realize God loves her even more than I do, and that He loves me that much too, it leaves me speechless.  Maybe you didn’t grow up with loving parents. Maybe you’ve never experienced a healthy marriage, or you don’t have children of your own. Maybe the word “love” feels distant or unfamiliar. If that’s you, please hear this: God loves you deeply, right now, just as you are. God proved His love through Jesus Christ, His one and only Son. Jesus, fully God and fully human, willingly took on our sins and died on the cross so we could be forgiven and restored. He did that for you, for me, for everyone. That’s love beyond comprehension,  the kind that dies for people who don’t even love back. And if you ever doubt that love, look around. Watch the sun rise, listen to the waves crash on the shore, walk through a forest, gaze at a glowing sunset, or look up at the stars twinkling in the night sky. Every bit of beauty on this earth is a love letter from your Creator, a reminder that your Father delights in you. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, God’s love for you remains unshaken. You can run from Him, deny Him, even curse His name, and still, He waits with open arms, ready to forgive and embrace you. His love isn’t fragile or conditional; it’s fierce, relentless, and eternal. You are never too lost, too broken, or too far gone for His grace. God doesn’t love you because you’re worthy, His love makes you worthy. That’s the miracle of divine love: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So if you’re wondering today whether God truly loves you, the answer is simple and unchanging, yes, more than you could ever imagine. Madison Mote