For as
the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear
him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
Today’s passage makes me think of one of my children’s
favorite books, Guess How Much I Love You.
In the story, a young rabbit named Little Nutbrown Hare believes he has
a way to show his father, Big Nutbrown Hare, how much he loves him. Little Nutbrown
stretches his arms as wide as he can and tells Big Nutbrown that he loves him as far as
his arms can stretch. The father then stretches his long arms as wide as he can and tells
his son that he loves him as far as his arms can stretch.
Little Nutbrown Hare realizes that his father’s love is bigger. So
he goes through a series of activities to demonstrate the breadth of his love. Big
Nutbrown Hare is always able to "one up" each activity, however. In the end,
Little Nutbrown Hare drowsily tells his father that he loves him all the way to the moon,
thinking that this is as big as love can be, and falls asleep. His father gently whispers,
"I love you all the way to the moon...and back."
God’s love is like that. It is "as the heavens are high
above the earth, so great is his steadfast love…" God also takes away our
sins and forgives us and loves us -- no matter what. When Jesus stretched his arms and
said he loved us, there was no greater love. For those outstretched arms were nailed to a
cross. Jesus stretched out his arms as if to say, "I love you this much" and
died for all of us to be free from sin.
Dear Kind Heavenly Father, thank you for stretching your arms
around us. Without your love and forgiveness there would be no hope or joy in this world.
Please help us to love each other -- no matter what -- in your name. We ask for strength
to love and strength to forgive when difficult times come our way. In Jesus’ name we
pray.
