Well it makes for a heart-warming quote and looks nice on paper. If only we lived out our lives as if we truly believed it, having that kind of foresight...while placing that kind of value on our children.

As I asked in yesterday’s message (highly recommend you read first if you missed it), ‘what would we NOT do for our own children?’ We like to think we have that kind of love for our offspring, and many a parents certainly start out feeling overwhelmed with that kind of love, especially when they bring those newborns home from the hospital. And oh...the plans and dreams we have for their future. It can be a mixed bag of emotions that hits you in those early years, for sure. You want nothing but the best for them and yet feel so ill-equipped and unqualified to raise these precious human beings. How many of you have muttered to God on more than one occasion ...that last-ditch effort of a prayer as you beg Him...”Please don’t let me mess this up!”?

Or how many of you raised your kids with the mindset of ‘while you didn’t know everything about how to raise a kid, you sure knew what NOT...to do, based on your own upbringing?’ (too soon?)

Another quote you may be familiar with, as it has several versions, goes something like this: “No one on Earth will ever love you the way your mom loves you"; or “there’s no greater love than a mother’s love.”

And yet, when you look around the world today, especially here, in our own country, our towns and communities, it’s easy to conclude that not everyone holds that same belief. When you look at the statistics that exposes the amount of abuse, neglect, and abandonment that countless numbers of young children fall victim to today...it can be heart-crushing. Some of you may be tempted to stop reading now, worried that I might go into more detail describing the horrific pain so many kids endure today, but that is not the intent nor the direction I’m going in with my message now.

As I type these words out in the early hours of this quiet morning, my thoughts are drawn to the number of women I have known over the years, and the countless numbers whom I don’t know personally...who have desired and yearned for nothing more than to bear a child of their own whom they could raise, nurture and love...but for one reason or another...they never had that ‘gift’ of an opportunity.

And for the life of me, I cannot even begin to imagine nor relate to the added pain they endure when they see or are made aware of ...those neglected, abused, and abandoned babies that we hear about all the time. But if you could, for just a moment, make a feeble attempt to just put yourself in their shoes and try to wrap your heart of understanding around what that might feel like for them. And whatever sense of ‘connection’ you might be able to sense with such an excruciating pain that would have to be, multiply it ...and you will get a sense of what God feels...when He witnesses how we as a collective society fail to truly love that which is a gift from Him.

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3 NASB)

Some time back, I found myself allowing my train of thought ‘go down that path’, wanting to ask God...’what about all the innocent children around this world who are suffering in ways that defies human understanding’...and I stopped short of asking Him...’Where are you when it comes to them...and ‘why’...does this happen?. And apparently, He knew I wanted to ‘go there’ and ask, and this is what I ‘received’ (heard) in response:

“What do you think I should do?”

That one stopped me in my tracks; and you might want to spend a little bit of time pondering that yourself. What do we think God ‘ought to be doing’...to alleviate such suffering, and where should He begin?

He already made it known, repeatedly...what we as humans could do if we truly wanted to see His best... not only for our own lives, but the lives of our children and grandchildren, etc.

“Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deut. 5:29; 4:40).”

And then there were the warnings of caution: “IF....you walk contrary to me, and are not willing to obey Me...then you can expect this...you will be robbed of your children...and they will be taken captive...” (Lev. 26:21-22; Lamentations 1:5; 2:9,14; Deut.4:25-31,40; 12:28).

Then, sharing with you once more, the passage I closed out with yesterday, an admission by God Himself: “...because you have forgotten My law...I will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6).

It’s easy...to ‘say words’ pertaining to how much we ‘love our children’. But as you probably already know...’talk is cheap’. The same point could be made when it comes to our relationship and walk with God...it’s easy to say we know or love Him...but our actions dictate what is really in our hearts (Titus 1:16).

“By this...will all men know...” (John 13:34-35). And...IF...we love Him, we’ll do what He says. (John 14:15).

We can talk about a ‘mother’s love’ or a ‘parent’s love’ and all the things we strive to do ‘for our kids’. But let’s be reminded of the words of Jesus...”No greater love has no one than this...that they lay down their life...” (John 15:13). Do we want to talk about what we think God ought to do to alleviate all the suffering in the world today? He already did His part. Maybe He’s waiting for us to do ours?

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” – Jesus (Matt. 23:37)