Look For the Love

Living here in Canada, we have a famous coffee shop that many Canadians visit daily: Tim Hortons. Because of its popularity, it’s not unusual to see this chain referenced online. One meme in particular caught my eye. It said, “In Canada, we don’t say ‘I love you.’ We say, ‘Goin’ to Tim’s, want anything?’ and it means the same thing.”

It gave me a chuckle, but also resonated with me. How I say “I love you” isn’t always by vocalizing those three little words.

Early in our marriage, my husband and I set some boundaries based on the principle of “fencing the Torah” (the Old Testament Torah—simply put, setting rules to protect the rules). Although some things aren’t necessarily wrong, we wanted to add an extra layer of protection to our marriage by building intentional safeguards. It was one of the ways we could say, “I love you.”

For example, we decided not to ride alone in a car with someone of the opposite sex. On the rare occasions when that couldn’t be avoided, we would give each other a quick courtesy call—just a simple gesture that communicated love, respect, and trust.

Love can look like a lot of little things.

We know that God also expresses His love for us in countless ways. It’s written clearly in His Word and revealed daily in creation. Each sunrise and sunset reminds us of His faithfulness.

Sometimes we sense His presence even while doing the mundane, like washing dishes or folding laundry. Other times, He might bring a song or a scripture to mind: a whispered word of encouragement right when we need it most.

Love looks like a million different things, and it can be expressed and felt in a million different ways. Whether it’s a coffee run, a quick text, a sunrise, or a song—look for the love.

That old enemy wants you to feel alone and unloved, but nothing could be farther from the truth. You are deeply loved. Don’t miss the little love notes that surround you each day just because they may not look, sound, or feel the way you expected.

Let me remind you where to look for love when it feels hard to find—the grandest gesture of love ever shown:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

His sacrifice spoke “I love you” more powerfully than any words ever could. It gives us the confidence and strength to stand firm on the life-changing truth that we are loved. It frees us from the lies that say we are unloved.

Just look for the love.

“Oh, how He loves you and me…”

Today’s devotional was written by Beverley Letner.