Last month we moved into this lovely little home and even though we were only moving five minutes away, it still meant we had to pack the entire house and enlist a few willing friends to help load the storage bins in and out of the huge U-Haul truck. In the process of this move I may or may not have fallen off of a table, which I believe I have mentioned in a previous post so I suppose you now assume it as fact. You would be correct in your assumption, yes, yes I did fall. I fell so hard in fact that I had one large bruise that expanded from one shoulder across my chest to the other arm, so dark that it would be impossible not to notice it. I say this to preface my next story. Just remember... giant bruise...
I had used the last diaper one morning and had completely forgotten about it until the smell of something most awful was coming from my unsuspecting sweet-faced baby boy. In a mad dash I threw my hair in a ponytail and ran out the door without my face done up with makeup (which always brings on a number of "concerned" comments which I find to be quite amusing). I raced around the store with my two boys until we found the baby section, tossed the diapers in the cart and jolted to the front hoping that we wouldn't be in one spot long enough for anyone to smell what had to be the worst combination of digested foods to make such a stink that had a category all of it's own. I opted for self check out to further prevent being in the store longer, with no avail. It wouldn't scan and the cashier walked over to help. She looked at me and then at the boys. Making awkward conversation she looked at Michael and asked, "so how old are you?". His response... wait for it... here it comes... "I'm four"... I wish I could say that he ended it there but he didn't... "But one day I'll be big like daddy and he won't BEAT me". Yep. He just said that. Now remember that bruise. I rest my case.
All I could think was, hold off on the phone call to CPS please- you'd have to know Michael to understand. You see, Michael is 4. The most competitive 4 year old I have ever met. There is nothing in our daily routine that isn't considered a race in his eyes; brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating, cleaning... NOTHING! So while it may look like we are a battered family, and my son may make comments about "beating" I can assure you that there is no such thing going on. But, you would have to KNOW Michael to really understand.
Have you ever thought what it looks like to others when you say that you believe in a God who sent His Son to DIE for us? I can just imagine people thinking what a cruel thing to do, sacrificing a perfect man for an innumerable amount of imperfect people. Not only that but now there are all kind of crazy doctrines floating around and sometimes I just want to scream "that is not the character of God, He wouldn't do that!". Yes, He sent His Son. He knew that was the only way to gain relationship back with you and I. It is the greatest expression of love that I have ever seen. It is not cruel. It was, I can assure you, the last thing that God would ever want to do. No parent willingly sacrifices their only child unless it was the absolute only way. You'd have to KNOW Him though to understand.
The things people say about God "hating homosexuals" (notice I didn't say homosexuality) or "predestining some to spend an eternity in Hell" just turns my stomach. YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG! My friend, please read your bible! With all of the love I can muster in my heart I plead that any belief you make in your heart about the character of God is derived directly from the Word of God. He loves unconditionally. Nothing can separate us from the love of God but many things can separate us from a relationship with Him and that is where we get in trouble. When we are out of relationship with Him we are at the mercy of our own assumptions about His ways. Think of it in relation with your own life, until you get to know a person do you not assume what their character is like by their actions and what others say about them? Maybe I am the only guilty one but it is dangerous ground. So please, stop thinking God is mad at you or hates you sweet friend. And please stop believing that He can hate anyone else. Spend some time getting to know Him and you'll see that He thinks the world of you and I!
John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world through Him might be saved."
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