Minute Musings...What Love

1 John 3:1a  "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God:"

I had one of the most distressing days today.  My little grandson was taken to the
hospital in tremendous pain.  An 8 month old cannot tell you where the pain is or
what happened.  Because he had been with me when it happened, guilt loaded itself
on top of the anxiousness.  The 4 hours that I waited at home in tears and waiting for
a call from my son were agonizing to say the least.  Finally I got the call that he was
fine, just a dislocated elbow that was quickly fixed.

It was during those few hours that this thought came to me that I wish to leave with
you today.  If we agonize and feel such inner turmoil because someone we love very
much is going through a painful and hard experience, how much more does our
Heavenly Fathers heart ache when He sees our pain and sorrows.  He loves us with a
love that goes deeper than we can comprehend.  So why is it that we feel He has
abandoned us during those painful periods in our lives?  Our love for our children and grandchildren doesn't even come close in comparison to the love of our Heavenly Father
has for His children. 

I'm reminded of the "Footprints" poem.  The poem is a lament from a child of God,
wondering when looking back at her life why there is only one set of footprints in
the sand...where was the Father during this painful time in her life?  Why had He
abandoned her?  His answer was, "When you see only one set of footprints, it was
then that I carried you."

You don't know what today will hold.  For some it might be a day which will hold
tremendous blessing and victory.  For others, sorrow and grief might be your
companion as you travel the day.  Heartache, pain, discouragement will be the
reality that others will face.  But no matter what occurs, I encourage you today to
remember that the love of God runs deeper than we know.  Hold on tight to that love,
rejoice in that perfect divine love today.  If at the end of today you look back and
only see one step of footsteps, be thankful that He carried you...because He loves you
just that much!