I am smitten. Hopelessly intoxicated with affection for my little girl who was born in December (she's going on 4 months old). I know it's biology--oxytocin, the love and bonding hormone, released into my brain when I nurse, when she whimpers, when she smiles, even when I just stare at her angelic little face. But since I am a believer in things that cannot be measured, I believe love is more than biology.
And she is more than biology, this little bundle of new flesh, helpless yet strong. She looks like a different creature each week, becoming herself. That is the journey of life, right? The journey I am still in, becoming myself. And I love her through every little transition and am willing to do whatever necessary to help her along.
I want to compare my mother love to God's love. Now, don't be alarmed; I am well aware that He is holy and He is other than weak little me... and yet, He created me in His image. All of natural life is full of pictures and parables pointing to Him. As the skies and oceans make us feel small enough to contemplate a Creator, the natural love of parents toward children points us to the greatest and most loving parent of all. I try not to presume, but I think it is reasonable to say, if humans are capable of great love, how much greater is God's love?
God's love is underrated, often painted as abstraction, or taken for granted... but we can never tire of mentioning His love. Like the hymn says, if the sky was paper, the oceans ink, and every man a scribe, the oceans would go dry and the paper would be too small to tell about the love of God.
So I am in love. My baby girl doesn't have to do anything for me to love her. I mean absolutely nothing! Even if she cries inconsolably for what seems like an entire afternoon, I am more often frustrated with my inability to meet her needs than with the inconvenience her needs present. I got irritated more easily with my first-born, but I've become a little more patient and a little less selfish with each baby. (She is my third.) How much more does God love us unconditionally, regardless of whether we appreciate Him or love Him back?
Sometimes I am lazy or cold hearted, and don't respond right away to a child crying. Sometimes I delay on purpose to give them a chance to practice calming down on their own, but often it's my sheer indifference. But God is not like me that way; He doesn't get lazy or apathetic toward His kids. His heart is always for us, always with us, always responsive and connected. He does not resent inconvenience. (The cross, after all, was pretty inconvenient.) He hears when His children cry and responds perfectly.
When my little one is satisfied with my comfort, when she eats herself into a breastmilk coma-- I am truly delighted. I feel proud and powerful--in a good way--sustaining her existence with my own body. I am satisfied because she is satisfied. (If you're a mom who couldn't breastfeed, no judgment here.) How much more is God willing--even delighted-- to meet our needs? How much more does He take joy when we are satisfied with His provision and care?
You've probably heard, breastmilk is miraculous stuff. It's a perfect balance of nutrients--protein, fat, sugars, water, vitamins, living probiotics, immune boosters, literally everything a baby needs for the first six months of life on the outside. The supply matches the needs of the baby, the supply and demand constantly fluctuating, constantly synchronizing. Breastmilk even delivers like a three course meal, with the lightest milk first and the sweetest, fattiest milk last.
One of God's names in the Bible is Shaddai, the breasted one. If that grosses you out, too bad! He is not embarrassed. After all, He personally designed the amazing female body to bear His image alongside the male. As the breasted one, He sustains us Himself, every breath, every meal, every heartbeat. His nourishment is miraculous and sufficient; His supply to us matches our need perfectly.
Sometimes I am lazy or hard hearted and don't respond right away to a child crying. (Sometimes I delay on purpose to give them a chance to practice calming down on their own, but usually it's sheer laziness.) But God is not like me that way; He doesn't get lazy or apathetic toward His kids. His heart is always for us. He does not resent inconvenience. (The cross, after all, was pretty inconvenient.) He hears when His children cry and responds perfectly.
If you are thinking, Wow, her version of God sounds like a sissy, let me say a few things. First, God is also the wisest parent and I do not mean to say He is a pushover. He perfectly discerns needs, wants and the gray areas in between. He always meets our needs and sometimes witholds our wants to help us become mature in self-control, humility, generosity, etc. But through it all, His heart is for us, wanting good for us.
Second, I know in part and prophesy in part. We cannot really grasp all of God's facets at once. I just wanted to look at one facet of God's mother-like love, one that is not often mentioned in communities where God's masculinity is strongly emphasized. He is masculine too. He is both; male and female He made us in His image. God is full and perfect in every facet--as King, as Shepherd, as Friend, as Deliverer... I want to see all of Him, but rather than try to stand far enough back to see the whole mountain that fills the earth, sometimes I like to look very closely at one little part. His love is vast; I am just illustrating one little part.
Meditating on God's perfect love reminds me of some lines in a Jason Upton song: "Frustrated, I try to make it, 'cause I've just got something to prove. Smiling, He says, 'Son, come here. Won't you let me just help you?'" Like a parent, He is intimate in His love for us, and willing to be close to us. I am not suggesting that we go through life acting like helpless babies, but I am suggesting we receive God's love with childlike trust, un-self-conscious and dependent, making our needs known without shame. I love my little girl more than she knows and I am undone by my love for her--how much more does God love me? My little girl depends on me for her life; certainly I can depend on God for mine.
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