Did you ever notice the way some children really look at their mother or father?  Their eyes become wide, their lips gently separate, and their head tilts upward ever-so-slightly.  It’s as if they will hang on to every word spoken and record every move their parent makes in their permanent memory bank.  This devotion is the result of a wondrous gift from God: the gift of love between a parent and child.

A parent does nothing special to earn this kind of love.  They just have to be there.  A parent has to be there to wipe a runny nose, bandage a scraped knee, or help mend a broken heart.  They need to be there to cheer and clap for their child in times of victory and to cradle and comfort them in times of defeat.

As we grow older, we realize that parental love is often more important as an adult than it was as a child.  There comes a time that we may be faced with the difficult task of coping with the loss of a loved one, maybe even our parents.  In these times of distress, we long for the moment that we can look up into the face of our mother or father.  We desire just one more embrace, one more conversation, one more “I love you.”

God knew that we would experience a special bond with our parents.  He also knew that we would eventually encounter the loss of one or both of our parents.  That is why He gave us His only Son.

Whether you are young or old, the Heavenly Father is waiting with open arms to cheer you on in times of joy and cradle you gently in times of sorrow.  Although sickness and death may temporarily separate us from our earthly parents, there is absolutely nothing in this world that can separate us from God’s enduring love.


Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.”

Regardless of what is going on around us, there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love, if we have turned our lives over to Jesus Christ.  While the bond between a mother and child or father and child is extraordinarily strong, the relationship we have with Jesus Christ is greater than relationship that any two individuals can experience here on earth.

Make a point to reflect on the ways the love of God permeates your own life.  Take a moment to thank God for this love.  He shows it to you every morning when you awaken to a brand new day.  His love shines in each and every sunrise and sunset.  His love is present in church on Sunday morning.  His love is present in the beauty of His Creation.  God’s love is revealed everywhere.

Take time to really look at your Heavenly Father.  Let your eyes become wide, your lips gently separate, and your head tilt upward ever-so-slightly.  Listen for His still, small voice, and record it in your permanent memory bank.  He longs to wipe your tears, fill your heart with joy, and be a friend who is closer than a brother.

Let God’s love be revealed in your own life.  Smile more.  Pray often.  Share the love of God.  You have been given two wondrous gifts from God to share with the world: the gift of love between a parent and child and the greater love between a child of God and our Heavenly Father.

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer