God is Love - by Dorothy Richards

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One evening recently, I was in on my own, Pete having gone out to a meeting. I do tend to wander when he's out in the evenings, or I'll flick through the TV magazine to find something to watch that doesn't take much concentration. I happened to drop on 'Bridget Jones' Diary'. I had seen it before but, as I had quite enjoyed it, thought I would watch it again.

I'm sure most of you know the story. It's about a young journalist, Bridget Jones, in love with a successful lawyer, Mark Darcy. Bridget is very loving but she tends to get so many things wrong, and is so embarrassing at times, it's almost too painful to watch. Mark, however, isn't put off by this. He might get impatient; he might be embarrassed at some of her antics; he might even be angry with her but the one thing he doesn't do is to stop loving her. In one part of the story, Bridget is arrested for, supposedly, smuggling drugs. Even that doesn't stop Mark; he travels to the other side of the world to rescue her and to secure her release from prison.

This is what Jesus has done for us. We get so many things wrong, make so many gaffs. At times, we may be embarrassed at admitting we are Christians and that we love Jesus, but God is never too embarrassed to admit that He loves us. He shows us that love in the way He provides for us, in the things around us, in the beauty of His world. As I am typing this, the sky outside has changed from a grey drizzle to the most fantastic sunset, reminding me once more of the love that He lavishes upon us.

Mark Darcy travelled many miles to rescue Bridget but Jesus travelled further than that. He travelled to hell and back for us so that He could rescue us and release us from our prison of sin. He hung on a cross so that we might live happily ever after.

As I continue to watch the sunset, it is once again clouding over but, even then, there are breaks in the cloud telling me that, although I may not be able to see the sun completely, it is still there - just as sometimes when things are going wrong and we completely mess up, God will send a sign to remind us that He is still there and that He hasn't stopped loving us.

Like Bridget, we too try to get it right but, because we are human, we fail, time and time again. But God understands; that is why Jesus died for us. We never will get it right - not this side of eternity. But we have this reassurance that no matter what happens. no matter what temptations we may encounter, God never can. nor ever will. stop loving us. That is His nature; God is lovel