love.

I went grocery shopping today.. and as I was walking towards the register there was a small book stand.. which I usually ignore.. but for some reason decided to look at for a second before I left.  I picked up this level 1 beginner's reading book called "Jesus loves me."  Filled with colorful pictures of jesus playing with children on each page.  Step by step, going through the song "Jesus loves me"

"Jesus loves me, this I know.. For the Bible tells me so.. Little ones to him belong.. they are weak but he is strong..

Yes Jesus loves me.. Yes Jesus loves me.." and so on..

I literally just stood and stared.. as my mind slowed.. trying to play the words in my head without any type of musical tune.  I was in shock at the absolute simplicity of truth within this little children's book.  And he said to me..  

Caroline.. I want you to slow down for a minute here.. really read this.. take this in.. 

take it as truth.. read it until you accept this with every part of you that wants to fight it.. engrain in it your mind so that you will never lose sight of it..  

I love you.  

This is all that you are required to know.  The only thing.. 

that I love you.

Beauty.  

That is all.  That is the absolute only thing we "need" to know.  Everything else is simply me trying to understand why he loves me or how he works exactly, etc.  If we simply took this as truth.  And innocently accepted the love given.. as a child may.. oh what a beautiful world our eyes would be opened to.  To have faith like a child..

A friend led me to a speaker of types recently named Graham Cooke.. he says this:

"I love you as you are.. so be loved.  You are the beloved.. it is your job, says the Lord, to be loved outrageously.. it is why I chose you, and it is why I set my love upon you.. that you would live as one who is outrageously loved. That you would receive a radical love, so radical it will blow all your parodies of what you think love is.."

A shiver literally falls down my spine.  It is our job.. to be loved.  

I sit back and want to cry.  I can't believe that is all I am required to do.. is to be loved.  I think alot of what scares people from living this life of simple freedom is the concept of that love.  We, humans, can not comprehend what it means to be loved unconditionally.. for we, ourselves, are not capable of this love.  So for another being, another thing, perhaps a god of some sort, to love us unconditionally.. knowing every aspect of how wretched we are.. seems unlikely.  But that is the true beauty of this relationship.. he loves anyways.  He loves outrageously nonetheless.  Outrageously.

I think I want to go back to the grocery store and pick up that book.. reminding that no matter what knowledge I may fill my head with.. none of it matters if I lose sight of this love.  None of it.  Knowledge puffs up.  I only desire to know and be in his love.

To live in that outrageous love.. what a gift.