I ran into my baby’s room, barely able to see through blurry nighttime eyes. His sobs were loud enough to awaken me from a dead sleep.
I scooped his little body up in my arms, and held him close, whispering softly in his ear. “Mommy’s here. It’s okay.”
His crying stopped, and he slowly drifted back to sleep in my arms. Whatever had scared him was gone now, replaced by the gentle, loving care of his mama.
Before I had a child, I could never understand what the words “a mother’s love” meant. Motherhood comes to women in different ways. Some give birth, some adopt, and others are foster mothers. But no matter how you arrive at motherhood, it changes you deeply forever.
Becoming a mother gives you a glimpse into the unimaginable, unexplainable love of God for His children.
3 Lessons About God’s Love
The Bible is full of verses about love. But sometimes we still need reminders of what God’s love really means. The love of God, like a mother’s love, can’t be explained until you’ve experienced it.
Related: 20 Encouraging Bible Verses for Moms
Over the years I’ve spent being a mom to my two sons, I’ve seen the love of God pictured in my love for them. While my love pales in comparison to His, I can see just a glimpse of how He feels toward me.
God’s love has no boundaries
Sometimes my human mind begins to doubt if God could love me. I mess up and fail Him so often, and I don’t deserve His forgiveness.
As my own children get older, they make mistakes, too. And, let’s face it, they sometimes disobey on purpose.
But even when they’re disobedient, ugly, or downright awful, I don’t love them any less. Does it hurt our relationship?
Yes.
We can’t talk freely, and any conversations seem stilted–and it stays that way until my child makes it right with me.
As I’ve experienced this love for my children, it has opened my eyes to the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father.
Sometimes I disobey. Sadly, I can be ugly, and even awful. But God still loves me. He sees me and fully knows me–and loves me.
Just like my kids can never be so bad that I stop loving them, I can never make God stop loving me. And when I do start to think I’ve messed up so bad He can’t love me, I only need to remember that He sent His Son to die for me, so that I could live in Heaven with Him.
You can’t get much more loved than that.
God is working for my good
Every child goes through times when they think their parents hate them. It usually happens when they’re punished for misbehavior, or not allowed to have something they really, really want.
But the truth is, moms have lived a lot longer than our kids! We have the ability to see things they can’t. What my kids see as unreasonable punishment, is usually just a mom who knows what’s best.
My boys think they can eat a snack right before dinner, and still eat their good food at the table. But experience has taught me that they will not eat their dinner if they have a snack.
While they think they’re starving to death because I won’t let them eat cookies and milk, I know that what they really need is a solid meal with protein and vegetables.
Sometimes I wonder why my children don’t understand the concept of “mom knows best.” But how often do I doubt God, because I can’t understand what He’s doing and why?
I’m an impatient person, and when things aren’t happening on my timetable, I tend to question God. But just like I know my kids don’t need sugary sweets at 4:00 pm, He knows what’s best for me, too.
My human mind sees a thing it thinks will be good, but His all-knowing wisdom knows better. My Heavenly Father sees the future, and He wants me to have the things that are good for me, even if it’s not exactly what I want.
God is always with me
One of my children gets really nervous when we’re with a lot of other people. He’s happy to run off and play, but every few minutes, he needs to come back and make sure his mama is still there.
And I always am.
He never has to worry that I’ve forgotten him, or left him on his own. Even if he can’t see me, I can see him, and I’m watching. When I see him stuck at the top of the monkey bars, I can be there in just a few seconds to pull him down.
Ths’t just how my Heavenly Father is to me. Sometimes I feel like He’s not there, because I can’t see or feel Him.
The Bible tells us that He sees every tiny sparrow, so He surely keeps His eye on His child. He watches me, knows when I’m in trouble, and runs to my rescue when I need Him.
Have you ever watched your child struggle to figure something out? Maybe it’s a math problem, tying their shoes, or getting the box of craft supplies from the top shelf of the closet. You’re willing and happy to help, they only need to ask.
God sees us the same way. We struggle through our problems, not understanding why we’re having such a hard time. All the time, He’s waiting for us to ask.
Greater Love
My usually sweet boy had a bad day. His bad attitude and mean spirit ended with him being sent to his room to think about his actions.
After about twenty minutes, I slipped in the door and found him lying on his bed, face streaked with dried tears. I pulled him into my arms, wiped his face, and told him I loved him.
Because I do. Always and no matter what he does, I will never stop loving him.
I think God gave this special relationship between mothers and children to represent just how much He truly loves us. We can take the love we feel towards a child, multiply it by a thousand, and still not be able to reach the amount of love He has for us.
I know my own faults, failures, and unworthiness. When I feel like there’s no way God could love me after all the things I’ve done, He pulls me close and whispers, “I love you. I always have and I always will.”
And I know it’s true. I can remind myself of my identity in Christ, and that He loved me long before I loved Him. He gave Jesus to die for my sins, proving His love for all time.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
john 15:13 KJV
When I find myself doubting, all I need to do is look at my children, and I have a small understanding of how deep His love is. He loves me without boundaries, does all things for my good and never leaves me. He gives me the greatest love of all.
