Pilot ~ Photographer ~ Scuba Diver

 The Father’s Love

 

The night I came home from the hospital after being with Brianna, the life in me

was gone. I remember how cold, dark and lifeless the house felt. I remember lying

in Brianna’s bed and saying; “Lord, I can’t live; what am I going to do? No one

understands.” The fear I had consumed me. I heard not a small voice, but a strong

and yet sympathetic voice telling me, “Mary, I understand; my only Son died and

I will carry you through.” I won’t tell you that some super natural presence took

control of me and I felt better, but what I will say is that I felt closer to the Father

than I ever have in my whole life.

 

Since that experience my love for the Father has increased and I have a little glimpse of how He felt that day His only Son died for me and you. It sheds such a deeper understanding of what He went through as a Father.  Can you imagine your child who has just been tortured, bearing the sins of the world (those who are mocking him, you and me) naked hanging on a cross for all to see? The Father in his great love for His Son hides him in that dark cloud where no one can see Him. What compassion! What love!

 

During this hard time that we are going through, I have had those who didn’t REALLY love Brianna try and take advantage of her, yet I have stood my ground and have protected her even in death. I can’t even begin to imagine what the Father was enduring that day when His Son was dying, he could have wiped out humanity. That tells me…“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts are than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9. Then even better news… “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” Isaiah 55:11. The Lord brought these verses to my mind and they comforted me to know that I don’t have to understand everything, yet His word will accomplish what He says it will. Friends, we can claim God’s word and take it to the bank! He stands behind every promise.

 

I found a message Brianna had sent to a friend and she quoted one of her favorite verses. Since she shared it in a newer version, it really hit home with me and I’d like to share it with you. “I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (Message translation).

 

So we have a Father who gave us His only Son, we have a Father who has plans for us better than the ones we have for ourselves and His word WILL NOT return void, they will accomplish what He has set them out to accomplish. So for those in the world that question what is going on…with all the calamities they see around us, there is good news! We can assure them that God has it all under control and that we can be in the center of it with Him. In this great controversy between good and evil, even good soldiers get wounded and some die. It is my goal to expose the evil one for who he is by unmasking his character and shedding light on the true character of the God who loved and sealed my daughter. Won’t you join me in re-dedicating your life, allowing God to be number one in your life and His plan to be lived out in you?  Until next time, let’s continue to pray for one another.