An Early Morning Reminder

Today’s verse: “My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jeremiah 24:6-7

At 4:30 AM this morning, I woke up in an overwhelming fog of deep grief. My son had died. As soon as I came out of my stupor, and realized that it was all just a dream, I pulled myself out of bed and traipsed down to his bedroom. I had this urge to hear him breathe and to gently kiss him on the forehead, reassuring myself that he truly was still alive. Oh, the sweetness of a sleeping child. Even at thirteen years of age!

It was a picture right out of a children’s book that my mother gave me when I was pregnant with my first child, and her first grandchild. In Love You Forever the mother, even until her son was grown, would pull him into her arms and say…

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Faced with the feeling of grief and loss this morning, at such an ungodly hour of my day, I was reminded that I have a God that loves my children more than I do, and He is in constant watch over them. The Holy Spirit is ever present, protecting, guiding, loving, and watching over His (and my) precious children. His eyes are so much bigger, and His arms so much stronger and wider, in offering protection. Unlike me, as their mother, He is present with them everywhere they go.

And in their presence, God is saying to my children...

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Lord, thank you for my beautiful children and the gift they are in my life. Thank you for watching over them and always being present with them. You are Emmanuel, God with us, and there is no where they can go to flee from your presence. Your hand is constantly near to guide them. Your eyes, Lord, are everywhere keeping watch over your sheep. Help me, to daily entrust their lives to you, believing that you have all their days planned, even before one of them came to be. I trust that your plan is one for good, and not harm, and they will forever be in the palms of your hands. Thank you Lord, for loving my children that much!