A man and a woman fall in love, and a baby is born. This baby is far from perfect, but oh… how they love it so! No matter what this baby does, the parents still love it deeply. It cries, wakes them in the night, it poops and vomits without control, and they still love this baby more than they can explain in words.
If you’re a parent, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, an older sibling, an invested teacher, neighbor, or nanny, you will likely shake your head remembering the things you have gone through with this child that came into your life as a baby, as a child, or even as a young adult, and whether biological, adopted or even borrowed for a time, you love this vulnerable human in ways that are difficult to explain. There is nothing that this child can do that takes away the love you feel inside for them.
For those of you that know the pain of having a child turn away from your love, refusing to talk to you or listen to what you have to say… it is heart-wrenching. Maybe this is for you, and if so, I pray that you find hope and peace in God’s promises even during this painful time. If this adult child who you cared for as an infant, that you were terrified you would know how to properly nurture and keep safe, but that you were consumed with love and a fierce protection for, now refuses to talk to you… ooof, the pain that settles deep in your heart when that happens is intense beyond compare. Your heart may literally feel broken. This child is probably so hurt and lost that they won’t hear anything that you have to say, and likely, your only desire is for that child to come to you and tell you that they love you, and you will have already forgiven them before they even ask. You wish for no other words to begin to repair the pain you have felt through this time, but simply want to hear, “I love you. I’m sorry. I want to spend time with you again.”
Our Lord loves us this way, because he created us to be in a relationship with him and each other, and to love as he loves. He loves us without us having to do anything to earn it, and there is nothing we can do that will cause our Father to withhold his love from us. Just as we are with our children or the children we love as our own, ready to love them and forgive them when they come back to us with an open heart, our Father is filled with gratitude, mercy, and forgiveness when we turn to him and repent of the things we had been doing that go against the desires of his heart for our lives. He wants nothing more than to have our heart, our minds, and for us to walk with him.
FURTHER STUDY: We were left a road map to salvation in the Bible. Read John 17: 20–26 and ask Jesus to explain to you in the quiet time with him what he has to reveal to you.
(Originally published on medium.com on February 3, 2023, by Steph)