He loves me

He loves me! What a stunning moment when I first realised that a certain someone loved me- I mean really loved me! He's not just saying it, he really means it. He likes me! me! Someone actually likes me, wants to spend time with me. He looks at me as though he can't believe his luck, as though I'm the most beautiful creature on the earth.
Can you remember that feeling? I remember Steve asking me to marry him. To me it was unbelievable that anyone would want me for their wife! In a flash, I said 'Yes' in case he changed his mind. Surely no one else would ever want this plain, overweight, loud-mouth farm girl! Yet he did. He even said that God had hand picked me out for him, that we were destined to be together!
When I'd been married to this saintly, patient, godly man for about twenty years, I found someone else who loved me. Two people who like me! Now don't get confused. Quite a lot of people like me, but to really love me, flaws and all, to want to spend their life with me, well that's different.
Now this second man had been wooing me quietly for lots of years. Sometimes I listened but I kept him firmly at arms length. Several times I ignored him for months, choosing my marriage instead, putting Steve first.
This other guy offered me the world-position, riches, power.
'Nah! You're all talk! I don't believe you really love me.' I turned my back again.
Then one day I understood. He loved me so much that He sacrificed His life so that all the stuff I hated about myself could be cleansed, forgiven, changed, restored and made new. He did that for me! Can you believe that?
Just this last week, He has convinced me that He wants me beside Him for all eternity. I am engaged to the King of Kings. He has chosen me. I take His breath away. I captivate Him.

Today as I think of Him resolutely preparing to go to the cross, to willingly endure such horror, rejection, pain and shame, so He could take me as His bride, I melt inside. No longer do I see myself as Cinderella, the daughter who He allowed in His house under sufferance. No I'm His ransomed princess, the love of His life! Jesus, how I love you!
 (The Pic? Just something He left on the beach for me last week!)
PS. He loves you that much too :)