Monday, December 7, 2009

The Good Gift

Recently a close friend of mine had to take their child to the emergency room. There was tension, fear, worry, and uncertainty. There was praying and crying, despair and hope. Such is the trial of being a parent. As I prayed I kept trying to put myself in his shoes, trying to relate so I could intercede for him. To a certain degree I was successful. I mean, I have taken my child to the dentist where they had to sedate him and that was scary, so I could relate with the tension/fear/worry part. There was one difference here though, I knew the outcome. Teeth had cavities and in the end, teeth would not have cavities and my pockets would have less coin. In my friends case the outcome was a mystery. Would his child be better? Would there be death? Would there be a life change? Was there a disease? This was all very troubling to me as I prayed and awaited the outcome. I could not imagine what he and his family were going through.

Uncertainty.

A couple of days later with this event still fresh on my mind, I began to think about God sending his Son to earth. After all, it is getting close to Christmas and that is the reason we celebrate it. I kept wondering what it must have been like to send your son to the wolves. I could never do what God did. I could never willingly bring upon myself all of the feelings and uncertainty mentioned above.

I would never willingly place my son in a situation were he would endanger himself.
I would willingly send him somewhere where he would be safe

I would never let my son be ridiculed publicly and not stand up for him.
I would willingly place him in front of people to be praised.

I would never stand by and watch someone beat my son and...do...nothing.
I would do anything to make sure that my son was comfortable and warm.

I would never watch my son get hurt and not run to him and help him and kiss it better.

I would never forsake my son in his time of need.

I would never watch my son be condemned to death for doing nothing wrong and do nothing about it.
I would fight for my son and support him in his time of need!

I could never send my son to a place knowing he would die and then...watch...him...die.

Certainty.

God knew the outcome before it happened.
He knew he was sending his Son to a world full of sinners and ignorant mean people.
He knew his son would be laughed at and ridiculed and punched and whipped and bleed and...die.
He knew it all, before it happened. Such is the trial of being a parent.

God sent his Son as a Gift for us, a good gift.

He knew he was sending his Son to befriend the poor, the blind, the depressed, the outcast, the lost.
He knew he was sending his Son to kiss the wounds of the sick and mend the hearts of the broken.
He knew he was sending his Son to set the captives free, to save a people from their selves.
He knew he was sending his Son to be a hero, a savior.
He knew he was sending his Son to defeat death and to rise again.
He knew it all, before it happened. Such is the joy of being a parent.

He sent his son to be The Good Gift to all and he was certain that he would be.
The only uncertainty is us...
Will we accept The Good Gift.

Food;
Isaiah 53
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2053&version=NIV

Colossians 1:19-20
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%201.19-20&version=NIV

1 comment:

  1. I am reading "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young and it reminded me of this blog. Had to come back and read it. Good stuff.

    ReplyDelete