A Father's Gifts

Typically, I despise any time someone says anything like, “you’ll never understand because you’re XXX” or “when you’re XXX then you’ll understand.” It annoys me because it implies some sort of deficiency in me or some gifting of the speaker. However, I have found that I am absolutely in love with my daughters. I’m not sure I understood that or was able to fathom that before I had children. I love them and I love giving them gifts. The depths of that love (even when they’re being crabby) astounds me and reminds me of the incredibly visceral truth Jesus proclaims when He says, “If you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Something within resounds now that I have children because I LOVE to give them gifts. Maybe other people who are less selfish than I have understood this without having children but I never knew that kind of love until my first daughter was born. This profound realization also leads me to the truth about the Father. He loves His children more than I love mine. He loves to give them gifts more than I love to give gifts to mine. If I can love my daughters this much, how much more can He love me? Though I am a flawed, selfish, and erring sinner, I am also a child of God, adopted into His family, chosen by His good pleasure and not because of my inherent worth. I wrestle in prayer. I struggle to believe. Jesus’ words tell me though that the Lord loves to give me gifts. He’s not a begrudging audience to my mumbled prayers; He’s longing to give me what I need. I only need to receive the grace offered and ask.