We are all parents, laboring in love for our children here at Legacy. Looking at this journey of parenthood, we can see a reflection, an example of God’s love for us. Every stage of this calling reveals an aspect of His love! Think about it:
The Pregnancy – even while in the womb, a mother and father begin to form a bond with their unborn child. Both can watch Baby move, know whether they’re asleep or awake, and do everything we can to keep them healthy and growing strongly. This reminds us of how intimately our God knows US. “Oh, Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, Oh Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-5
The Delivery – just remember how your wife or you put your baby’s needs ahead of your own, enduring great pain and labor to see your child face-to-face. The same is true with our Abba Father who endured the great pain of seeing His One and Only Son, Jesus, on the cross of Calvary so that we will one day be able to live with Him face-to-face. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
The Nurturing – remember feeding your baby? Cradling them, rocking them, looking into their eyes, and telling them of your unconditional love? Strapping them into the highchairs at home and out and about, always traveling with just what they needed to have every need met? It reminds us of God feeding us with His Word! We can easily picture our Heavenly Father cradling us, providing everything we could ever need, all the while we look to Him with complete love. “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.” Psalm 95:6-7
Raising and Guiding – we set boundaries for our children. Rules and expectations are put into place. The difference between what’s right and wrong is taught. We do this to keep our children safe, only wanting what’s best for them. Do they understand right away? No. Is that okay with us? Yes. One day, we know (as it did for us when we became parents) it will become clear just how much parents love their children. So it is with God. We might not be able to fathom His ways, but He is trustworthy, and one day, we will understand it by and by. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
Instructing – we pour our time, talents, and love of education into our children. As a UMS school, we are gifted with more time with our children than a traditional five-day-a-week model. We spend thousands of “extra” hours pouring into our children. We encourage, inspire, wean, equip, and cheer our children on as they grow in maturity and responsibility, learning to not lean upon us but stand firm on their own two feet. This reminds us of the process of growth and instruction in our relationship with God. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-14
All Grown Up – no matter how big your child is, he/she will always be his mother’s baby. We will always love them with all of our hearts. Here again, we see a reflection of God’s love. He loves YOU deeply and continually thinks of you. “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3
What a gift – the love the Father lavishes on us! If we truly grasped the breadth and depth of it, we’d undoubtedly weep into a pile of mush, feeling so unworthy of it, but so appreciative. He loves you. He LOVES you. May His love overwhelm you this week and always. May we share this love with others – for THIS is how they will know we are His.
Kristie Dunn, Dean of Family Ministry