It seems like marriage proposals these days are a competitive sport.

It used to be that a man would propose to his beloved over a romantic dinner, with flowers on the table and perhaps some violins playing. He would get down on bended knee, present a ring, and ask for her hand in marriage.

Apparently, that just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Now, proposals have to be over-the-top. They might feature anything from fireworks to skywriting. A will-you-marry-me moment nowadays might involve a scavenger hunt, a fake movie trailer, a full orchestra and choir, or a ride in a hot-air balloon.

More adventurous grooms might enlist a celebrity in the proceedings, hire a flash mob at Times Square, or arrange to appear on the Jumbotron at a sports game.

And then there’s the man whose proposal took an entire year to create. Unbeknownst to his girlfriend Jennifer, each day for 365 days Dean Smith videotaped himself proposing to her, every time with a unique message. On the 366th day, he showed her the completed video and finally proposed in person (she said yes).

Why do people go to so much trouble?

Because they want to show their intended how much they’re loved.

Did you know that God has done the same for you?

He loves you deeply and He wants you to know it!

Let’s see how God stacks up when it comes to showing love.

God is the original skywriter. He wrote His love for us in the blue sky to cheer us up, the clouds to bring us needed rain, the sun and moon to give us light, and shooting stars and rainbows to entrance us.

A person might think that their fiancé hung the moon, but God really did! He not only hung the moon and planets, but also umpteen billions of stars which glitter like jewels in the night sky.

“God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth.” (Isaiah 42:5)

Many people present a bouquet of roses to the one they love. Some might even arrange for a roomful of their beloved’s favourite flowers. But God has given us a planetful of flowers. Our world is replete with billions of beautiful flowers in an astonishing array of colours and designs, all created by God for us to enjoy.

God’s no slouch when it comes to jewels, either. Who do you think created diamonds, rubies, sapphires and pearls, anyway? God made every gemstone and mineral on earth, including the gold of your wedding band. He’s filled this earth with beautiful and useful things for us, out of love.

Just think of all the splendour and magnificence of the natural world that God created for us: The heavenly music of birds singing, the majesty of the mountains, the life-giving fields and oceans, the gorgeous sunsets. They all come out of a divine heart overflowing with love for His human creations.

God never stops demonstrating His love for us.

But showing your love for someone isn’t all hearts and flowers, is it? Sometimes it’s grittier than that.

We occasionally see this in human relationships. Someone might donate an organ to his or her loved one. Another might intercede to protect their beloved from danger and get harmed themselves in the process. We think this sort of thing is astounding: it often makes the news.

But Jesus did much more for you: He was mocked, beaten, scourged, and finally crucified. He suffered horribly and gave up His life for your sins.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

God comforts us, heals us, protects us, rescues us, and does us only good. He even sent His Son to die for us and redeem us.

God has gone over the top and outdone Himself to show you that He loves you. There’s nothing He wouldn’t do to make you feel His love.

If you want to feel swept off your feet and truly loved, open your heart to your loving Heavenly Father!

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.