The More, The More, and More and More

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:1-4 , 10-12 RSV).



One of the many "careers" I've had included working as the Lead Teacher for a class of three-year-olds at a daycare center. I absolutely and completely adore children. I have been told I have a gift for working with even the most "problem" children. Perhaps the "gift" is simply a manifestation of my deep, sincere love for them and my recognition of their full potential!

God has that type of love for us as well! We can rejoice because we are His beloved. God has a similar vision of us: He knows our potential, already planned our future, lets us have our little fits and bouts of independence and defiance and then welcomes us back into His loving arms.



Or as one of the children (or I!) would often say, “OK, I need a hug now.” One the little girls in the class often threw open her arms, looked up at me and said, “I love you the more, the more, the more and more.” Wow! Just imagine! God loves us even more than that!


We say, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” God replies, “I love you the more, the more, the more and more.” We beg God, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” God’s response is, “I love you the more, the more, the more and more.”



We continue, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” God, in his mercy and infinite patience repeats, “I love you the more, the more, the more and more.” Get it? Try reading the verses of this passage one by one, inserting, “I love you the more, the more, the more and more” after each one. What were you getting ready to say about a bad day you might be having?

My prayer today is that no matter what you’ve done or haven’t done; no matter how much success you celebrated or the miserable failures you have experienced; no matter what, no matter what, you’ll remember God loves you the more, the more, the more and more. And that He waits for you with loving arms open wide.



Blessings on your journey,
Mary