A Parent’s Love

Our daughter’s internship was drawing to a close. She had some medical issues that came up that raised questions on her ability to move herself back to the town she will begin schooling again. What parent, if it is within their ability would not drop everything to come to her aid. By the time we got there, she was doing better than we expected, but was not free from symptoms. We helped to get her home and get some more testing done to determine exactly what is going on. If you are blessed to have a good relationship with your kids, the love doesn’t end when they move away from home. Even if they are not perfect, there is still some love that remains in our hearts. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to one of my kids. God would still be in control, but the struggle would be real and heartbreak unfathomable. We have an amazing example of love in what God did for and through His Son. He watched His Son suffer for our sins and didn’t intervene, for our sake... so that we might have an unshakable hope through faith. Even when His son pleaded in the garden that if there was some way to avoid the crucifixion, that would be His desire. Jesus, in obedience to His Father, went to the cross to take the punishment we deserved. What an example of love, obedience, and faithful service. With that example set, God now expects us to carrying on this ministry. We are not called to serve only those that are pleasant, but to serve all people. What does that have to do with parenthood? God is calling us, as part of the family of God, to adopt (figuratively) those in our community so that they might know the love the Father has for us through how we love and care for them. As a family, made up of believers in Jesus Christ, let us develop deep fellowships with others. We are to love, as we are able, those that God places in or lives. Don’t ever underestimate someone feeling loved and accepted. We have to ask ourselves, “Are we really the family of God?” “How are we reaching out to “relatives” that are lost in this world?” How far will your love for the family of God move you? Will you welcome them into the family? Father, fill our hearts with Your love and give us opportunity to show that love to the lost and rejected among us. Amen