Do you know how much?

Even though I love a good bargain, I'm not thinking how much as in dollars and cents. Maybe sense.... How much do you sense God around you, in you, through you? Honestly, I have to admit lately, not as much as I'd like....but I've been trying to handle everything on my own again. Usually, when Easter is coming up, I can feel God pretty strongly. This year just seems to be zipping by though and it seemed to sneak up.

Sometimes the true message of Easter can get to caught up in the egg hunts, baskets and the elusive Easter bunny.

The true message of Easter is that Jesus came to prove to us HOW MUCH we are loved! Even when the world tells us we are politically incorrect or a day when we are feeling unlovable, it does not change the fact that we were worth Jesus dying on a cross for us. Jesus didn't come to be an earthly ruler or a political activist. He came to spread His arms across the expanse of that cross and say, "THIS is how much I love you!"

Romans 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

I used to have a song I'd sing to our kids when they were little and we'd joke about how much do you love me.

I love you up to the sky and back....and around the world and back again.... I love (kid's name).

I picked up the CD "Freedom" by Mandisa at the library recently. I had heard a few of her songs on the radio. I had not heard the one entitled "How Much" (song below). When I heard it the first time, it was at one of those down moments where I needed a reminder and I SO needed to hear it right then. I got that tingly feeling that shivered through me as I let the words soak in. Hope it does that for you too.

Mandisa's How Much: