July 5th, 2025
By: Gabi Pope
The other day, I had a conversation I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. I was talking to a friend about her son who is completely nonverbal, and every single day, she prays the same prayer:
“God, just one time let me hear ‘I love you, Mom.’ I’m not asking for a paragraph, I just want to hear those four words once.”
She doesn’t want speeches. She’s not asking for perfect grammar! Just one moment. One fragile, holy moment to hear those words come from her child’s mouth.
As I sat there listening, something inside me cracked open. I felt the depth of her ache, her relentless hope, her quiet grief. In that very moment, as clear as day, I felt the Lord whisper to me: “That’s how I feel about you.”
It stopped me in my tracks!!! I know without a doubt that I love God. I believe in Him. I serve Him. I talk to Him daily. I trust Him, but do I ever really tell Him “I love You”?
How many times have I gone about my day doing ministry, helping others and checking things off my to-do lists and never once paused to simply say, “I love You, God.”
I thank Him often. I ask Him for things. I talk about Him to others, but how often do I sit and say “I love You, Lord.”
My friend loves her son with her entire being. The absence of those words doesn’t make the love any less real. However, there’s still a longing. A longing that sits in the sacred space between hearts. A longing that has nothing to do with doubt, and everything to do with a relationship. I can’t stop thinking how often does God wait in that same space with me?
He doesn’t need our words to love us. He already loves us endlessly, His love is agape. It is unconditional!! He loved us when we were still sinners. He loved us when we were prodigals running away from Him. He loved us before we ever even looked His way, but still, He longs to hear us say it to Him.
He’s our Father. He’s a Bridegroom. He’s not just a Creator or a King, He is ours and we’re His and love is what relationship breathes on. We were made for that kind of intimacy. Not just obedience, not just worship services, not just spiritual performance but simply love, a true meaningful relationship with Him.
Sometimes I wonder if God is sitting beside us in the stillness of our day, waiting on us. Not because He’s needy, but because He’s personal and wants that closeness with us. Waiting for us to pause just long enough to turn and lift our eyes and say “I love You!”
That’s it, that simple, that profound, that is enough!!!! Maybe this is what the Christian life really circles back to, not how much we know, not how much we do, but how much we love, and how freely we express it to the One who has given us everything.
Today, I’m going to close my eyes, put down the to-do list, and say the words He’s been waiting to hear:
“I love You, God. I really do. With all that I am, even the broken parts within me. I love You.”
Because He deserves to hear it. Because He longs to hear it. Because loving Him back is the most beautiful thing I’ll ever do with my voice!!! So I challenge you to do the same, friend. Tell God you love Him today! Sit in His presence and His peace.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37
The other day, I had a conversation I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. I was talking to a friend about her son who is completely nonverbal, and every single day, she prays the same prayer:
“God, just one time let me hear ‘I love you, Mom.’ I’m not asking for a paragraph, I just want to hear those four words once.”
She doesn’t want speeches. She’s not asking for perfect grammar! Just one moment. One fragile, holy moment to hear those words come from her child’s mouth.
As I sat there listening, something inside me cracked open. I felt the depth of her ache, her relentless hope, her quiet grief. In that very moment, as clear as day, I felt the Lord whisper to me: “That’s how I feel about you.”
It stopped me in my tracks!!! I know without a doubt that I love God. I believe in Him. I serve Him. I talk to Him daily. I trust Him, but do I ever really tell Him “I love You”?
How many times have I gone about my day doing ministry, helping others and checking things off my to-do lists and never once paused to simply say, “I love You, God.”
I thank Him often. I ask Him for things. I talk about Him to others, but how often do I sit and say “I love You, Lord.”
My friend loves her son with her entire being. The absence of those words doesn’t make the love any less real. However, there’s still a longing. A longing that sits in the sacred space between hearts. A longing that has nothing to do with doubt, and everything to do with a relationship. I can’t stop thinking how often does God wait in that same space with me?
He doesn’t need our words to love us. He already loves us endlessly, His love is agape. It is unconditional!! He loved us when we were still sinners. He loved us when we were prodigals running away from Him. He loved us before we ever even looked His way, but still, He longs to hear us say it to Him.
He’s our Father. He’s a Bridegroom. He’s not just a Creator or a King, He is ours and we’re His and love is what relationship breathes on. We were made for that kind of intimacy. Not just obedience, not just worship services, not just spiritual performance but simply love, a true meaningful relationship with Him.
Sometimes I wonder if God is sitting beside us in the stillness of our day, waiting on us. Not because He’s needy, but because He’s personal and wants that closeness with us. Waiting for us to pause just long enough to turn and lift our eyes and say “I love You!”
That’s it, that simple, that profound, that is enough!!!! Maybe this is what the Christian life really circles back to, not how much we know, not how much we do, but how much we love, and how freely we express it to the One who has given us everything.
Today, I’m going to close my eyes, put down the to-do list, and say the words He’s been waiting to hear:
“I love You, God. I really do. With all that I am, even the broken parts within me. I love You.”
Because He deserves to hear it. Because He longs to hear it. Because loving Him back is the most beautiful thing I’ll ever do with my voice!!! So I challenge you to do the same, friend. Tell God you love Him today! Sit in His presence and His peace.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37
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