Scripture

For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

~Hebrews 13:5, NLT

Quote

My father willfully choosing to abandon those who loved him was the most hurtful thing that has ever happened to me.

~Tim Childers

I read a story last Friday morning about a man who experienced the horrible feeling of loneliness after his father had taken his own life. He said, “I stood over the casket where my daddy’s body lay and I was angry, hurt and deeply disappointed. Why did my daddy willfully choose to abandon us. Had he died of a heart attack or cancer, I could have handled that but he, for some reason, wanted to leave us behind. I felt so abandoned, so alone and then I felt the warm embrace of my Heavenly Father.” I have a friend in the next county who lost his father to suicide at age 11 and he was in the house when his daddy shot himself in the head. In listening to him, I got some idea of the devastation one feels when such a tragic thing happens. I also have some, not much, experience as a foster parent and I am telling you, every child needs a father, one who is near, one who provides and one who constantly assures the child that they are loved. Foster homes are filled with children who have been abandon by their parents: this dilemma is real. I know from experience, at least through my grand children, that abandonment is a serious problem and it scars children emotionally. We have been dealing with this for the last 22 years. I am an advocate for children, especially my grandchildren. But as hard as we try to fill in the void, the children are still hurt by the disappearance of their parents.

The LORD gave Joshua this wonderful promise, No one will be able to stand against you as long as youlive. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Jesus told his emotionally troubled disciples,  I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Earthy fathers may fail but our Heavenly Father never fails; when He makes a promise, He keeps it. I know the pain of rejection. I know what it is like to be ostracized but some years ago, I found peace in my relationship with Jesus. I decided that if He, the Creator, loved me; it didn’t matter whether others did or not. Even friends and family will let you down but Jesus will never fail you: He is a friend who is closer than a brother. Can you imagine not being able to go to sleep because you are worried that someone doesn’t like you. Jesus likes you and that is enough. Jesus even loves A-holes like myself. My relationship with Jesus is based on HIS character and HIS love; not mine. It is all grace and it becomes more wonderful each day.

I don’t know if you recall the movie October Baby or not but it was about a beautiful young girl who was not wanted by those who conceived her. She was adopted into a good Christian home. I think her adopted father was a medical doctor. When she was grown, she had a burning desire to find her biological parents, especially her mom but this is not a happy story with a fairytale ending. Her biological mom was ugly to her and told her upfront, “I didn’t want you when you were in my womb and I don’t want you now.”  To be honest with you, this hateful woman deserves hell for being so cruel to her own flesh and blood. Had I been this hateful woman’s daddy or husband, I would have slapped her jaws. The good news is: the young girl, though hurt by this cruel punch in the heart, found peace in her relationship with Christ and you can too. I can’t imagine the pain one feels when rejected by the one who gave them birth.

EXTRA

December is being December, it is flying by like a jet. I made it a goal to wish at least a dozen people MERRY CHRISTMAS starting last Saturday and I have not met my goal yet: going to try again today. Tis the season to be jolly. I know there is a lot of pain and misery out there but it is not going to help if we are miserable also. Spread some cheer, some love and good will. Would you like to have a December without Christmas? Would you like to live in a world without Christmas? What would you call a world without Christmas? It is a four letter word that begins with an H.

So have a good day and pray that it spills over on to someone who is struggling. Merry Christmas everyone!