This is Mason my nephew. He's taught me so much about love. I remember the first time I held him. I'm not his dad, but even as an uncle I was overwhelmed by a pure sense of love, of devotion and care for this little life. I wanted to be a better man, for his sake.
But why? What brings that out?
I didn't create him. He'd done nothing for me. But here I was finding new depths of desire to care for and mentor and protect this little life.
Some of it I chalk up to him being simply born into my family. He's one of us now. But I think there's a deeper part connected to it. I believe we've been designed to love. And a child in our family brings it out in the strongest sense possible. I believe this because I see how God has treated me, His child. He did not directly create me. But I'm born into His family. And as I've gotten to know God and understand the terrible price Jesus paid so I could be saved from myself, I see the same love (in part) in my own heart for Mason. What parent or uncle wouldn't give up their life for their beloved?
So I believe the love I have for Mason is a well spring that comes from God. I recognize it because I've received it. Maybe you will too!
““How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.” - God anguished over diobedient, rebellious children.
Hosea 11:8 NIV
http://bible.com/111/hos.11.8.niv
““Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Jesus anguished over rejection by those He came to save.
Matthew 23:37 NIV
http://bible.com/111/mat.23.37.niv
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV
http://bible.com/111/rom.5.8.niv
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