Being a ‘good’ parent is the hardest job I know; and the rewards, especially in the teenage years, are few. We want to protect our children from harm whether it is physical or emotional. We want them to learn from us so they don’t have to go through the hard times like we did. We desire only the best for them, to have their dreams come true, to be married to a person who loves and honours them, to raise healthy children… to experience unconditional love in their lives, etc.
At the same time, we allow them to make safe choices and feel the consequences of those choices so that they learn from their mistakes. When they don’t listen to our advice, we watch as they suffer the penalties of their decisions, even while it breaks our hearts. We watch as the relationship difficulties ‘beat’ on them. There are a lot of those moments and we can’t solve the problem, but only bring comfort.
My son came home from school upset after an incident of cruelty happened. This bothered me as he has enough to struggle with and doesn’t need more. So it was in my sadness I went to spend some time with the Lord. It was quiet, and no words needed to be said as He held me in His arms and I felt His warmth and peace surround me. Thank You Father for being with me.
You see, at some point in time, the Lord decided to adopt me (Rom. ). He didn’t have to- He wanted to. I’ll never quite understand why… I stood before Him a malnourished, filthy, scarred little girl, and He chose me (1), picked me up (2), brought me home, cleaned me up (3), tended my wounds (4) and let me live with Him (5). He’s my Father, my parent now, and He wants no less for me than I want for my own children.
My Dad wants only the best for me. He wants me to listen to His advice so that I don’t have to suffer the penalties of bad decisions. He watches as I keep wrestling control back over to me instead of trusting Him, and He probably shakes His head and wonders when I will finally learn. I’m sure His heart breaks when I suffer and when life beats on me. But one thing I know… My Dad is there when I need Him. I can run to Him, my refuge (6) in times of distress; my shelter (7) in times of trouble. He’s the One who loves me without conditions.
He loves me because I am His. It is not because I am perfect, or beautiful, or smart, or talented, or ‘successful’ or any of the other reasons we ‘love’ people for today. It is because I am His child; fully, completely His. And someday when people look at me, I hope they will say, “You look just like your Dad.”
1. Eph. 1:3-6 2. Ps. 40:2 3. Is. 1:18; Ps. 51:1,2
4. Ps. 147:3 5. John 14:16,17; 15:4 6. 2Sm. 22:3; Is. 25:4
7. Ps. 61:3; 46:1