A Father's Love

Olivia got a boo-boo.

Besides crawling around a whole lot, she's now discovered how to pull herself up to stand. While exploring the kitchen yesterday, she pulled herself up on a drawer knob & at some point lost her grip and slid to the floor, hitting her eyebrow on the knob. Boy, did she cry!

I surprised myself when, as Jen was giving her a bath later that evening, I found myself tearing up as I looked at her little smiling face, a red mark and a little swelling above her left eye the only evidence of her injury.

Why the tears? I felt helpless. I couldn't protect her from everything. I wanted to take the injury for her...wow! What an amazing illustration of God's love for us. God did take our place when Jesus hung on the cross for our sins. As a father, I can't imagine what God felt watching His Son die in our place.

But that suffering was necessary. Without Christ's death, we'd not know eternal life. Without trials, we don't experience the "fires" that temper our souls. Without drawer knobs, Olivia wouldn't learn to be careful as she explores her new world.

And I'm sure it's not her last...