He smelled of old cigars the first time we met—my mother’s oldest brother. I was only five, small enough to be half-hidden behind her skirt, yet big enough to be captivated by his stories.
He told me about a pet deer that roamed free at his mountain cabin in the Laramie Mountains. I was certain it was make-believe. Grown-ups told tall tales, and this one felt especially tall.
Still, when he invited us to the lake for a boat ride and a trek up to his cabin on Casper Mountain, I hoped—just a little—that the story might be true.
We arrived early the next morning, the mountain air crisp and expectant. His voice, usually gruff as gravel, softened as he called toward a stand of trees. For a moment there was only silence. Then, out of the woods came bounding a magnificent buck, confident and unafraid. Its antlers were painted red—a warning to hunters that this one belonged to someone.
To him.
To us.
I remember the instant my skepticism melted into wonder. My mother quickly lifted her camera to capture what we had all secretly doubted. The deer was real. The story was true. And so was his love.
I loved that old man until the day he died. Even at one hundred years old, he complained about still delivering Meals on Wheels, insisting they needed younger volunteers. You didn’t argue with him—Mother warned me of that. He would set you straight in a heartbeat. But beneath the gruffness was a steady, unwavering devotion.
Why did I love him so dearly? Because he first loved me.
Later, as I wrote cards to those dear to my heart, I included the simple but profound truth of 1 John 4:19: “We love Him, because He first loved us.”
Human love is always a response. It echoes something that began elsewhere. God initiated the relationship. He demonstrated the ultimate expression of love by sending His Son—making a way for us to know Him, trust Him, and love Him in return.
Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). At the cross, love was no longer a story we hoped was true. It stepped out of the shadows, undeniable and real.
Rascal Flatts captures a glimpse of that promise in their song I Won’t Let You Go: “I will stand by you. I will help you through. When you've done all you can do…I will fight your fight. I will hold you tight and I won’t let go.”
When life presses hard and strength feels thin, Scripture assures us that God stands beside His children. He goes before us. He walks with us. He will not abandon us. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
That morning on the mountain, a little girl learned what she thought was fiction was beautifully real. Love had called from the trees—and love came running. In a far greater way, God has called to us. His love is not a legend whispered in childhood; it is a living promise proven at the cross and present in every step we take.
There is truly no greater love—than the love that goes before you, stands beside you, lays itself down for you… and will never, ever let you go.