HIS FACE IN MY JOURNEY
The Depth of God's Love
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together
with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure
of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
Before cancer, I was clueless about God's love for me. I knew He loved me, and I had experienced it in
many ways. But the depth of His love was something I did not grasp until I reflected on the helpers He sent
during my trial. Family, friends, neighbors, strangers, co-workers of my husband, and members of my church
surrounded me with their love and support. They traveled across states to be with me and support me and my
family during surgery and chemotherapy, cooked meals, did my grocery shopping, watched my children,
accompanied me to the hospital and doctors appointments, made phone calls, took me to the movies and out to
lunch, walked with me, prayed for me, prayed with me, petitioned others to pray for me, sent me gifts, cards, and
emails, hugged me, called me, counseled me, cried with me, held me while I cried, gave me scripture, and listened.
A co-worker of my husband's made a pink box with the Chinese symbols for hope and faith and love to hold all of my
cards and letters. It wasn't exactly easy for an independent woman like me to accept help from others. But I could see the Lord was humbling me as He taught me how to receive.
As I reflected on the numerous individual acts of love shown to me during cancer, I
recognized that collectively they were an expression of the depth of God’s love. The revelation
blew me away! What a gift to have experienced a tangible expression of how deep His love for me goes!
Later, I recalled a time about 3 years before my cancer diagnosis when a friend had prayed Ephesians 3:17-19 over me.
God - in His infinite goodness and creativity - answered this prayer at the perfect time in the most beautiful way...