Taking You for Granted

Taking you for Granted

I am sure of your grace
New everyday
I am sure of your mercies
Never changing
I am sure of your faithfulness
More than knowing myself
But because I am human
I’m prone to taking you for granted;
May my meditations
Remind me of your goodness
May my thoughts not stray
So far as to downplay you;
As my heart aligns with yours
May my memory be fresh of the love you are
May my heartbeat be your love song
May I never take you for granted
Or forget to tell you how much I love you.

The Inspiration
My sister had spotted him yards away. “He’s coming,” she informed me. “Not again,” I muttered under my breath. I left their company to hide in the kitchen. Some ten minutes later, he found me in the kitchen. “I brought you something today,” he announced after we exchanged some greetings. “Get yourself busy, cut the plantains,” I replied curtly, “It should be the same things like before – paintings of me, cards with love notes, can’t you be ingenious for once and surprise me?” He ignored me and showed me his work of art. This time, he had the painting of a princess on the foreground of riches and wealth. “This is who you are to me. A priceless princess who owns the world. I have some good news for you. My dad will soon be a governor. Once he is sworn in, I’d buy you everything you ever dreamed of. I’d make you the happiest girl on earth. I hope then you’d tell me you love me.” “I hope so too,” I replied, “I’d say so when I really feel it and mean it.” That evening I told myself that when next I see him, I’d treat him nicer and maybe tell him I liked him (not love yet, I didn’t know what it meant then).

That was the dialogue of two young innocent children. 2 weeks later, I learnt my friend was dead. May his soul rest in peace. I never got the chance to tell him I appreciated him.

How many times have we been appreciative, loved someone or received a touch of love from someone yet we had our tongues tied? Because of pride? Because of greater expectations? Because of fear? Treat each person for who he is. Funny enough, it is the people who love us the most, who are dearest to our hearts, that we treat the least. It used to hurt me so much when my cousin and I will do something naughty but my mother will spank only me. Until I saw it happen in many other homes. Though that is an act of correction (and I do not hold anything against it) but it goes to show that subconsciously we are inclined to treating those closer to us differently from those far off. My siblings can attest to this (sorry folks!) The word that summarized it is “Taking people for granted”.

I know someone that we take for granted a lot. How many times has HE said HE loves us? How many times has HE shown us that HE loves us? It is very reassuring to hear a confirmation of love. “I have loved you,” SAYS the Lord [Malachi 1:2]. He says it not thinks or writes or planning to say. These four words mean a lot. They mean that HE loved you before you were, for who you are, who you will be and HE is still loving you. Nothing and no one can separate you from this everlasting continuous love HE has for you [Romans 8:35, 39]. Deep down in our spirit we know this. So we say, “Today I won’t talk to YOU, am busy with important things!” or “Even if I sin, YOU will still forgive me and have mercy on me!” If only you knew how often and how much you break HIS heart. What about when you say, “I don’t need YOU! I can make it on my own now! YOU’d always be there when I want you!” This is real.

If you are brooding over heartbreak, over someone that takes/took you for granted, missing someone you love so much, spare a moment to acknowledge HIM. HE loved you while you broke HIS heart. HE loved you while you took HIM for granted. HE missed you when you walked away. And HE’s just waiting to hear you say, “I Love YOU!” from the depths of your heart.

"It is imperative
That Love is shown
To those worthy of it
More if your own
Do not say
That one day you will
For it will be too late
When you lose him".

Wishing you God’s Love.