We left our 2nd daughter, Claire, in the nursery at church one Sunday when she was one year old. We were pretty nervous about it because she didn't respond well the 1st time we left her (she stayed in the service with us in the church we had come from). This was now our 2nd attempt to leave her in the nursery. We made it through the service without anyone paging us, so we went to pick her up after the service was over. We were delighted to see her happily playing! On her little head was a precious crown made from a bulletin board border. She looked like the little princess she was (and still is!). Her back was to us so she didn't see us when we arrived... but then she heard our voices. She quickly spun around to find us. When she saw us her face lit up with pure joy, she threw her hands into the air and ran full speed toward us (hands still raised in abandonment), squealing with delight the whole way. It was one of the most precious moments of my life. While driving home I was reflecting on (reveling in!) Claire's response to us and it occurred to me: That is how we should approach God! Pure joy. Total abandon. Complete adoration and delight in Him. What a perfect picture to help me remember to do just that.
As I've reflected on that experience over the last couple of days I've had some further thoughts.
As a child I adored my own father in the same way. He was my hero. I knew He loved me without condition, and I loved him that way in return. As a teen and beyond I continued to feel the same way about my Dad. But as I grew, the expression of my love changed. I was better able to comprehend my Dad's precious love for me and so rather than just feeling adoration for him, I chose it. I knew that I didn't have to earn his love; he loved me simply because I was his daughter. And because of his great love for me I was compelled to choose it. It's hard to resist a love like that. I knew how very blessed I was (am) to have the father that I did. Of all the millions of choices, God picked ME to be my father's daughter. He picked me. What a huge blessing...one that I still marvel at! I wanted to do everything I could to please my dad--not because I had to, but because I loved him so much and wanted to bring honor to him. When I disappointed him I felt so ashamed--not because he shamed me, but simply because I disappointed him, and I so wanted to show my love for him by pleasing him. Isn't this how our relationship with our Heavenly Father is? Doesn't He draw us to him? And when we realize the depths of His love for us, aren't we compelled to love Him back? Isn't an expression of that love obedience to His Word...not because we have to, but because we love Him so much we want to honor and please Him?
My heart hurts for people who don't have the blessing of a relationship with their own father like I have with mine, in large part because it provides such a clear picture and understanding of God's love for us, as well as our response to that love. Maybe through seeing my father's love for me and mine for him, those observing will more clearly understand God's unfathomable love for them. It is truly amazing.
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What a precious and clear example of how our Heavenly Father desires to relate with us: Pure abondment to Him, loving Him so much our greatest desire to to please Him. It sounds so "easy." I know I make this so hard. Having a realtionship with an earthly father that cultivated this understanding certainly must go a long way in transfering that understanding to your Heavenly Father. All the more reason for us, me, as parents, must seek God's grace daily to present this picture of love and obedience to our children. Thanks so much for this:-)
You are so right! We should approach the Throne with such fervor. We were studying Fanny Crosby in our Wisdom Booklets this week, and we read about her hymn "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" and the story behind it (amongst others, of course). Picturing Claire running into your arms reminds me of that. ~From Joy
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