Loved to the max

“You don’t have to do everything.” This phrase blew across my heart like a refreshing wind a few months ago as I sat with the LORD. “I won’t love you more if you do,” He continued. “I already love you to the max.”

Months later, this still hits my heart in a big way. I read the words again this morning and I nearly cried with relief.

Friend, can you imagine? Seriously, can you pause for just a moment and truly imagine being loved to the MAX? Already! At this specific moment in time. Maybe your house is a mess (like mine is). Maybe you were a crank yesterday (like I was). Maybe you’re dropping more balls than you’re keeping in the air (like I am). And yet, here, in this very moment, God loves you to the MAX.

To the max. What does that mean to you?

To me, it means there’s not room for anymore. There’s no potential to add anything. Dictionary.com says max (abbreviated from maximum) is, “as great, high, or intense as possible.”

He loves you that much. Today. In your imperfection. In your mess. He loved you that much yesterday. He will love you that much tomorrow.

You didn’t earn that love. You don’t have to. It was already yours. Take a deep breath and let that sink in. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” John 3:16 -- this was long before you were ever born!. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Ephesians 1:4-5 He chose you before the world was created. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-10

 His salvation, His love…we didn’t earn it – it’s a free gift!

 I feel like I learn this over and over again, and yet every single day, there is the temptation to do it all. There’s the temptation to strive for the “everything” – the temptation to try to be everything for everybody – the thought that we’re incomplete unless we’re doing “everything”. But truly, all that gets you is exhaustion. Doing everything doesn’t lead to living your best life. You weren’t called to do everything. You were called to do the good works which God prepared in advance for you to do. (Eph. 2:10) Only those.

This isn’t a self care article. Far from it. It’s a HE cares, article. For you. For me. It’s a release from the pressures of this world, either spoken or unspoken. It’s permission that you don’t have to do everything in an attempt to earn the love of God. Because friend, even if you succeed, He won’t love you more. He can’t. He already loves you to the max.

He isn’t after what you can do or produce or give or accomplish. He’s after your attention. Your heart. Your company.

He’s after you. The one He already loves to the max.

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42