The Father's Love

As the mother of a sick child, it is hard to not look at moms with healthly babies and long to have what they have. Of course we want to be able to just enjoy our new baby - free from all the medical machines, constant doctor visits, and waiting for big, scary test results. But as I worked to take those thoughts captive the other day - God changed them instead to thoughts of Him and His love . . . Last Sunday at church as I watched an adorable family interact with their beautiful (and healthy) baby boy I thought what if it was their son that was sick, not our precious Riley - would I trade places with them? If it was possible, would I take the fatal illness of another child upon my child to free them from having to experience that pain. At just the chance that they might thank me for it and maybe even love me - would I trade my child's health for their child's sickness? Of course the honest answer is absolutely not. I would feel bad for them, try to help them, but how could I sacrifice my child, who I love more than life, for someone else's? But, that is exactly what God did for us in Christ - His child was free from sin, infirmity, and death but He put those things upon His only Son with only just the chance that we might thank Him and maybe even love Him. I can't even begin to understand an extravagant love like that! In all honesty there is not anyone that I would put my child through absolute agony for, but Christ literally went through hell for me. In a weird way God has used Riley's sickness to absolutely break my heart for the lost - for those who are living a life away from Him. The Father's heart aches for us to be well. He is desperate for us to accept the healing sacrifice His Son made. His desire is for us is life - not the negative "prognosis" that so many face. I am so overwhelmed by the intensity and extravagant nature of God's fierce love for us. Over the past few weeks people have asked us if it is hard to not question why all this is happening - but if my heart is not large enough to receive all of God's abundant love for me how can I expect my mind to be able to comprehend His plans for me? Not only are His ways higher than our ways but much more importantly His love is more extravagant than our love. It is His love that I cling to because I know that "His ways" are the result of His love.