Before I had children, I had a lot of ideas about parenting. I may have even been a little judgmental of some
parents, thinking that “I would never do that” or “I would NEVER let my child
do that.” But, then I had a child – and everything
I ever thought I knew or understood about parenting went right out the window.
I found out that parenting is hard. I found out that reading “how to” books on
parenting and putting those principles into practice are two very different
things. I found out that parenting is
the most all-consuming, confusing, overwhelming, frustrating, rewarding,
amazing, fantastic job on the planet.
And, being a parent has taught me more about God and His love for us
than any sermon that I’ve ever heard (sorry all you preachers out there).
It’s hard to understand unconditional love. And, honestly, I don’t think that we as
humans here in this fallen world will ever be able to offer completely
unconditional love to others. But, the
love that I have for my children comes pretty close. When they disobey, I may get angry and I may
discipline them, but I still love them.
When they are rude, my feelings may be hurt, but I still love them. When they get in trouble at school or make a
bad grade or treat their friends poorly, I may be frustrated and disappointed,
but I still love them. And, when they
are good and sweet and kind, I love them just the same.
When my children need me, I drop what I’m doing and do
everything in my power to help them. I
have gone without sleep and without meals and without things that I really
wanted in order to make sure that they were taken care of – and I don’t have
any regrets. I’m not keeping a running
tab that I pull out from time to time to remind them of all that I’ve sacrificed
for them. I count it a privilege and a
joy to have been entrusted with the care of these two precious girls.
The thing that I’m learning right now during these teenage
years is that I hurt when they hurt. If
they are carrying a burden, I carry it too.
When they are wronged, I feel that wrong just as deeply. My heart breaks when they are sad and it
rejoices when they are happy.
And, what I’ve really begun to understand recently is that
God looks at us and feels the same way that I feel when I look at my daughters –
only 1000 times more. We are His children,
and He really, truly loves us unconditionally.
He wants the best for us – even when he has to discipline us for our
disobedience. He loves us even when we
turn our back on Him and walk away. He
cares for and provides for our every need.
When he sees that we are hurting and lonely, he understands and wipes
away our tears. Nothing that we can ever
do can separate us from the love of God.
Hebrews 14: 16 (CEV) says “So, whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne
of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness,
and we will find help.” The cynic
might dismiss this as being a simple platitude, but when you realize that this
verse is talking about a heavenly Father who is looking at us with a parent’s
heart, the truth of these words really begins to settle in.
As much as I love my children, God loves me even more. As much as I want to give good things to my
children, God wants to bless me even more.
And, as much as God loves me, He wants me to go out and love others in
the same way – purely and unconditionally, with both words and actions.
“My response is to get
down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all
heaven and earth. I ask him to
strengthen you by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner
strength – that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him
in. And
I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in
with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.”
– Ephesians 3:14-19 (MSG)
