WHEN SOMEONE SAID "I LOVE YOU."

After reading a bedtime story to a young grandson I said, " Do you know that Grandpa and I love you?" With disarming frankness he answered.

" No, Gran. You haven’t told me." I smiled, remembering the countless times we expressed our love in birthday cards, gifts, letters, surprises, etc. He needed verbal assurance, so I hugged him and said,

" Dear, always know that your Grandpa and Gran love you very much."

" Do you really, Gran? That’s nice." Satisfied, he snuggled under the blankets. I kissed him, tucked him in,and he soon slept.

Next morning I asked his brother,"Do you know that Grandpa and I love you?"

" Yes, of course," with great deliberation.

" How do you know?"

Beaming with confidence, the lad replied, " ‘Cos you send us presents.""

One needed the verbal assurance, while the other knew from the action.

To hear a sincere " I love you " is like a healing medicine to comfort children. It is true that Mum works hard for them, washes their clothes, cooks tasty meals, bakes birthday cakes, bathes sore cut knees, chauffeurs them to school, sports, etc. etc. etc. Surely they understand that we love them. Yet verbal expression assures children of the steadfast love of their parents.

SOME PARENTS NEED TO CULTIVATE this expression. " I don’t shew my feelings" confessed Mary," but I will try ", she promised. God helps parents to express their love in a way that fosters children's security, stability and maturity. Love may be expressed through verbal appreciation, commendation and a willingness to listen, even when we are busy. This communication says, " You are special to me. I love you enough to give you all my attention."

Mary reflected that she and Joe gave their boisterous children the most expensive toys to satisfy them. Later, as I observed the children, I knew that Mary and Joe now spent less money on costly gifts, and spend love-time with their children, so that their behaviour changed dramatically.

Bob wondered why Shirl was so quiet. " He never tells me he loves me," she confided. When she admitted her feelings to Bob, he said,

" Well, I told you that 40years ago when we married." As Bob realised Shirl’s need, he wisely expressed his love more frequently, and Shirl blossomed as Bob comforted her.

One night we found a letter on our pillow addressed " To Dad and Mum." It was a delightful letter from a daughter on her wedding day, thanking us for our care, our availability, the time given to her, true spiritual training and love." We were reduced to tears as we read her letter of " I love you" in answer to our expressions of " We love you.""

In our busy, racey society there are crowds of starved-for-love human beings, regardless of age, longing to know true love.

Someone special says to all mankind, " I LOVE YOU." GOD says," I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE, THEREFORE WITH LOVINGKINDNESS HAVE I DRAWN YOU."

And God showed His love through a gift, when He gave His own unique, sinless Son, Jesus, to die as our Sin-bearer.

Major Ian Thomas once said, "Jesus Christ not only gets us into heaven, but heaven gets into us,"

What a marvellous present of love!