Three Magic Words

One of the characteristics of the English language is how the meaning of a sentence depends on which word in the sentence receives the most emphasis. This is amazingly demonstrated in the seven completely different statements that can be made by using the same seven words:

I never said she stole my money.

I NEVER said she stole my money.

I never SAID she stole my money.

I never said SHE stole my money.

I never said she STOLE my money.

I never said she stole MY money.

I never said she stole my MONEY.

The same effect can take place, even with a much shorter sentence.

Imagine that Yahweh, also known as God, decides to verbalize his love for you with a simple three-word statement:

I love you. No matter how anybody else on the planet feels about you, you can rest assured that I love you. And who am I? The wisest, most-powerful being in the universe...which I created!

I LOVE you. I don't just tolerate you, like a pesky fly buzzing around the screened-in porch on the outskirts of my attention. No way. I am passionate about bringing about the absolute best for you. Remember that whole "for God so loved the world that he gave" thing? (John 3:16)

I love YOU. Don't take the phrase "God so loved the world" too far. My love is not just some blanket of good will that is indiscriminately tossed over every creature. I know who you are and what your idiosyncrasies are and what is best for you individually. I mean, I know you down to the number of hairs on your head, for crying out loud. (Matthew 10:30)

Truth is...the whys and hows of God's love for each of us can't really be grasped with the human mind or expressed with human language. The good news is, we've got forEVER to learn by experience.