4D Love

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18 NLT

I loved geometry in school. I was always really good at it. In fact, in high school I remember being in a class full of upperclassmen and being the lone freshman in geometry. My classmates would pick on me because I would frequently “mess up the curve” by getting consistent high grades on assessments. One of my particular strengths was geometric solids. I loved calculating area and volume. I felt it was interesting and such a useful skill to have. And it is to this day.

In this scripture, Paul isn’t describing a geometric solid when he talks of the width, length, height and depth of God’s love. But I love how he describes it through the use of these dimensions. For His love is wide, long, high and deep:

“how wide” – The love of God is wide enough to cover a multitude of sins. God knows how imperfect we are, and He’s so full of mercy and grace that He forgives our sins and allows us to start over again and again. As the Word says, His compassions are new every morning.

“how long” – The same love that covers my sins and yours has been covering sins since Jesus died on the cross for us. Generation to generation has been afforded the opportunity to know God and receive salvation through faith in His Son Jesus.

“how high” – The Bible says that no man has a greater love than the love we receive from the Father, who sent His own Son to die for us. It’s the highest form of love we have ever experienced or will ever experience. It comes from the creator of the universe Himself.

“how deep” – The love God has for us is way more than superficial. For people may love you, but often they love the you that they can see. God knows everything about you, even those things you wouldn’t want anyone to know. For if they did, it might change their feelings for you. But God knows it all. And He loves you anyway.

Although math was one of my first loves, I have never experienced feelings in a math class like those I do when I think about the many different ways that God loves me.