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I’m a father of three grown children, and even though my offspring no longer live at home, there isn’t a day that goes by when they don’t come to mind or when I miss them and pray for them. I often ponder those years of bouncing my kids on my knee and then cuddling in for a group hug. I confess as a sappy dad, I miss those days tremendously.
The other night while asleep, I apparently travelled through some sort of time-machine portal, because in that dream, my two sons and daughter were again small. I’d say ten, eight and five respectively. My boys each occupied a knee, while my blond hair, pony-tailed little girl snuggled in at my side. I remember wrapping my arms around my kids, hugging them fiercely as my heart burst open with love for each of them. Emotions welled up and I began to sob. In that instant, I was reminded of how much more my own heavenly Father loves me—tattered baggage and all. I awoke in tears, my chest heaving from the vividness of what I had experienced.
I believe without question that God impressed this dream into my soul, a poignant reminder that as a father himself, he loves me unconditionally, forgivingly—and without condemnation because of his own Son’s sacrifice on the cross for my sin. With my children’s young faces still etched into my memory, I laid in bed for several long minutes, grateful for the mental picture of holding my kids tight, and equally stunned at the fresh revelation that I’m loved even more than I can imagine by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. A God steeped in open-armed, non-judgemental, logic-defying love.
And did you know He loves you, too?
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4, 9-10 NIV)
It doesn’t matter your social status. It doesn’t matter your background, your sins committed or the cluttered messy baggage you haul around in your backpack each day. GOD IS CRAZY IN LOVE WITH YOU! He wants a relationship with you—wants to wrap his arms around you and weep because he loves you so much and that you came to him. He craves your heart and wants to be involved in every aspect of your life.
And the coolest part is—all you need to do is let him in. “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 NIV)
Paul Smyth
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