As I thought about my children this week, I was startled to realize that I love them more than I love my parents.  I love them more than I love my grandchildren.  I love my wife most of all.

I asked Marjorie, “Who do you love more, your children or your parents?”  Her reply was, “My children.  They need me more.”

And therein is the key.  We love those whom we serve.  We love those or that for which we sacrifice.  We spend a lifetime serving and sacrificing for our children.  The sacrifices we make for our parents are much less.  They sacrifice for us, and we’re appreciative; but the love that arises out of appreciation does not equal the love that arises out of sacrifice.

Taking this thought to its logical conclusion, as we think of Christ and His love, it’s easy to see why His is the ultimate love.  He sacrificed everything for all of us.  We love our children because we sacrifice for them; but the Lord’s sacrifice for us, His children, was infinitely greater than ours.  His love for us transcends even the love that we have for our spouses.  His love is currently beyond our comprehension.

I have noted that my love for Him has grown with each passing year.  I love Him much more than I did when I was a new member of the Church.  That is also because of service and sacrifice.  I have spent my adult life being a parent and serving in the Church.  I have been serving His children, and hence, Him.  My love and appreciation for Him grows with each thing that I do for Him and for His children.  I can safely say that I now love Him many times more than I did when I was baptized nearly 50 years ago.

We love that to which we devote our lives.  I know men who have variously devoted themselves to their vocations, ranches, cars, bank accounts, lustful desires, or houses.  Those are the things for which they’ve sacrificed.  Those are the things they love.

I have devoted my life to my Savior—hence my love for Him.