In Sight

The chilled dry air of the bedroom was in stark contrast to the warm embrace of the bed covers encompassing this often sleep disturbed host to what is known as Parkinson’s disease. With just three hours of sound sleep accomplished this wandering mind began its tangential journey to places and things far beyond the sphere of reason or command. Pointedly, the attention turned to the Lord whose birth we are to soon celebrate and the command to Love the Lord with all of one’s mind, heart, and soul came to the forefront. Immediately, the sense of having not measured up to that command engulfed this now wide awake participant. An empty feeling emerged as thoughts of poorly executed acts of love toward my God and those He created in His image spread out on the mind’s canvass. Suddenly, as though arms of reassurance opened before me, words as though from a voice deep inside resounded: “this is not about YOU measuring up to loves construction, but rather about ME (God) having first loved you with the kind of love that washes clean all the imperfections that you possess.” The relief and sheer joy that then emerged was enhanced as the notion that we love because we are loved, not so as to gain love’s approval, but because there is no greater “approval” than the love that has wiped away everything that would keep us from it! With a renewed sense of gratitude this otherwise less than perfect participant began his day giving thanks for the perfect love that embraces even when we lose sight of whose love it is!