Sometime ago , on one of the TV interview shows, we heard Foster & Allen talking about their unique brand of music and then closing the show by singing one of their own songs.

Last Christmas we were given an ‘Alexa’ echo which we now use in the kitchen and listen to a lovely variety of music and so Foster and Allen fairly often. One of our favourites is the song about ‘Hugs’ –these are some of the words

‘We all need a hug in the morning

And one at the end of the day

As many as possible squeezed in between

To keep life’s troubles at bay’

For me, God’s loving hug comes with the words ‘I love you’ so , a prayer using the inbreath ‘I love you’ is hearing God’s words to me

and the outbreath ‘I love you’ contains my responsive words to God

As Jesus said to His disciples ‘If you love me , keep my commandments’ (John 14:15) and after His resurrection to reinstate Peter we read the challenging words ‘Do you love me’ (John 21:15-18)

This daily ‘hug of love’ is both a wonderful comfort and a challenge to show my loving response by loving God and my neighbour (Luke 24:25-27)

So who shall we give a ‘hug of love ‘ to today ?