How Deep the Father's Love for Us

This week, I have experienced two very different, yet similar pictures of a father's love. Each of them have pointed me to God's love and how through that love, I am a child of His.

One morning this week, I walked into the office ready for my day of tackling the "unknowns" and was told we were going to be accepting a new child. I was excited to add a new member to the BG family. A few hours later, the social worker came back from picking up the child and brought them to my office. She knows how much I love to pray over children right when they come to BG, so I am usually the first stop she makes when checking a child in. As she did the paperwork, I held the 9 month of baby in my arms and was marveled at how small they were. By the condition of their skin and hair, you could tell they were taken care of, but the child was so tiny. Our social worker motioned for me to go the main part of the office where the child's father was sitting. I was able to talk with him for a while with the help of a translator and my heart broke. He loved his child, but just could not afford to care for them. Because of this, he decided the best thing was to put the child up for adoption. He was a single parent and just couldn't provide. We sat for awhile and then the social worker asked me to take the child to their new house. I felt it in my heart that the father should say goodbye. I handed him his child. He looked into their eyes, spoke words of love, kissed them and then gave the child back to me. I couldn't imagine the feeling of his heart. He wanted the best for his child and he knew he could not provide it.

"How deep the Father's love for us. How vast beyond all measure. That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss.  The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One, bring many sons to glory."

A few days after this, we rejoiced in a forever family day. When the parents walked into the office to pick up their children, you could see the excitement in their eyes. You didn't have to ask how they were feeling, because you could tell. Their biological son, also radiated excitement as he waited to meet his siblings. The meeting was another holy moment that is indescribable. I am humbled that God allows me to sit in and watch the meetings take place. After some time, a staff member came in and introduced themselves to the family. The dad politely introduced himself and said "These are my three children. (pause) I HAVE THREE CHILDREN! I HAVE NEVER SAID THAT BEFORE." He was so excited to say that out loud. He walked around campus with his new son and told staff members, "I am his daddy. He is my son. I am his daddy." He was so excited and full of love. The constant hugs, kisses and high fives. showed the love that a parent can give. The parents may have entered in as a family of three, but they left an excited family of five.

Everyday, God faces the fact, that He loves His children so much that He had to give up His Son for them to see that. He walks around Heaven telling all the angels, "See that one? I am His daddy. He is my son. She is my daughter. I am her Daddy." God is SO incredibly in love with us. He wants to world to know that we are family. He wants the world to know that we belong to Him and Him alone. He is ours and we are His. What a privilege to be adopted into His family! But we must remember that the only way that we are able to do so, is because one day, He looked at His Son, kissed Him and then gave Him up for us.

"I will not boast in anything. No gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom."