Scripture: Psalm 147:
12-20 Everyday Psalms Paraphrased by James Taylor
As a father I
was very excited to be exposed to the pregnancy and expectancy that
brought, relishing the first time any of my children moved for the first
time and almost each time after. I was also in one of the first group of
fathers here in Grand Junction to be allowed in the delivery room when my
first child was born, no pacing the waiting room for me. And believe me I
was thrilled, and later when my other two children were born I was with
them also. To this day, I remember the exact moments in time when they
were born. Each of these moments were true highlights of my life.
Yet as
exciting as these moments were for me, they paled in comparison to what my
wife felt during each pregnancy and delivery. While there were moments of
illness and pain, the overall experience was one of sheer joy and elation
for her, creating a bond with each child that will never fade.
As I have
talked to many other women, co-workers, friends, even my own daughters
have reported similar experiences of their own. This process to me is one
of the greatest miracles in life. Women go from simply being daughters,
wives, to mothers and as this process happens, there are incredible
changes in mind and body, thought process and expectations change in
phenomenal ways into what I like to refer to as a sense of ferocious love
and protectiveness.
In fact every
mother I know, has some of these same feelings, even the ones who are not
particularly good at being mothers. They will do anything in their power
to make sure their children are well fed, well cared for, warm, safe and
as well adjusted as their own experiences will allow them to help their
children be.
I have known
many women; who, when necessary worked two or even three jobs to make sure
they could financially care for their children when fathers were not
available or absent. I have seen these same mothers then come home and sit
up with sick children, or go without sleep to make sure their children
attended a concert or 4-H meeting. I have seen mothers risk their own
lives to protect their children, even against much larger threats, all in
the name of love. I have seen mothers, their own hearts breaking at the
actions of their children, sit in a court room as their child is sentenced
to prison for a serious crime, lovingly hold their child as they were led
off to prison, then drive 200 or more miles each weekend to visit them and
make sure they knew they were loved. I also know parents who cared for
physically and emotionally challenged children their entire lives to make
sure their children could live at home around folks who deeply cared for
and loved them. What is the most amazing fact of all, is that this bond
is the same whether or not the child is 2, 12, 20, or 50, it never
changes.
I guess that
is what struck me so deeply as I read the paraphrased translation of the
Psalm by James Taylor. To truly imagine ourselves coming from the womb of
God, takes away the mystery of our creation, and really helps understand
how profound God’s love really may be for us. No longer is the concept of
God loving us abstract and distant, for each of us can fully understand
based on our own experiences with the birthing and parenting process, this
loving and nurturing female parent making room for us, worrying about us,
seeking to make sure that everything we need is cared for.
Just like the
mother we can call on when we are 7 or 8 with skinned knees, our eyes full
of tears, God is there for us when we skin our hearts, or when we feel
overwhelmed with sorrow and grief.
Just like the
mother we call filled with joy over good news, perhaps of our graduation
from college, an upcoming marriage, or the birth of our own children, we
can imagine a God celebrating with us, filled with that overwhelming joy
and pride in who and what we are.
And just like
the mother who may sit with us in court when we get the speeding ticket or
are involved in a serious accident, who loves us, but refuses to let us
shirk the consequences of our actions, God is with us in those same
moments, comforting and healing the hurt and pain we feel from our not so
good actions.
Everywhere we
turn, just as our parents have been with us in these moments helping us to
learn valuable lessons, grow to make wise decisions, God is with us,
wanting the same for us.
In fact, this
entire feminine concept of God makes it easier to understand a God, who
would send a son as an emissary for redemption, reconciliation, and
salvation. It makes it easy to understand a Christ who would live among
us as teacher, friend and savior teaching every one of us new and better
ways to live, teaching us care for one another, teaching ways of peace and
welcoming all those seen as society as outcasts.
It makes it
easier for us to understand the love of a parent who knew, from the very
beginning, that a child would have to pay the ultimate price for salvation
for those whom he has never met, and may never meet, because he knew it
was what he was called to do. Yes indeed, God’s love for us is truly an
amazing and wonderful thing, and each of us, is truly close to God’s
heart.
By now you
may be saying enough already, I get it, I understand all these things
about God and about how God loves me, about how I am close to God, why is
that so important to me, why does it matter? Because it is important to
us, to know that we are loved, when life doesn’t always play fair, death
happens, illness happens, losses occur, life just plain changes, or we
feel uncertain about something we have believed for a long time; and in
the midst of all of these things we may feel forgotten, frightened, and
lonely. It is important because sometimes we need hope when it seems to
be hopeless, we need love when we are feeling unloved, we need comfort
when the pain or the sorrow we feel is too much. Because when we know how
much we are loved we can survive and thrive, because we feel we are about
to bust in joy and there is no one we can share it with.
In a few
moments, we will be sharing in a heavenly feast that serves as a reminder
to us of God’s amazing love and sacrifice; then, we will all go out into
the world to do those things we do each and every day. We will raise our
own children, or perhaps Grandchildren. We may be caring for others. Some
of us may experience joy at our successes or the successes of our
children. We may celebrate in joy at being new grand parents. Still
others may experience sorrow at the loss of someone they have loved and
shared life with for a long time. There may be those struggling with the
decisions they made and the consequences of those decisions. Others may be
struggling with changes in their parents, or in their relationships with
their parents. Others may be struggling to understand their relationship
with God.
No matter
what we do, or what we feel, no matter what we might be struggling with,
as a loving mother, nothing is too difficult or painful for God. Like the
mother who cares deeply for her child, God is there for us, holding out
open arms, challenging and nurturing us, waiting and loving to celebrate
with us, to guide us, to comfort us. So let us live, fully confident and
assured in God’s amazing love for us all.
