Love

Published December 19, 2021 by Matt Walton

This is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

I was 15 and had reached the zenith of my Little League career. I was in the final months of the eldest Little League division, on my final All-Star team. And we were good. We were the first team from College Station with a chance to advance to regionals in a long time, and I was the starting pitcher. My mom was there in the stands, ready to yell, "Beautiful!" after every pitch. My sisters were there, begrudgingly. My dad, however, was not there. My dad was a paramedic, and he was on duty that day.

Just before the first inning began I heard a murmur ripple through the crowd as two fire trucks pulled into the parking lot, followed by multiple ambulances. Was there an emergency? An accident? No smoke billowed toward the clear skies. Then, my dad climbed out of an ambulance, followed by the firefighters and paramedics working his shift. They lined up along the fence down the first base line to watch the game.

This moment from my childhood reminds me that love shows up. Love is presence for another's sake, despite the obstacles that seek to prevent it. I am reminded in this story that God moves toward us of His own initiative; God shows up for us. Do you find yourself yearning for love's presence in your life? In Christ Jesus, God Himself draws near to you.