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The Bath, 1891-92 Mary Cassat oil on canvas
The Art
Institute of Chicago. |
The Perfect Parent By Leah Smith | posted 06/21/2002
I’ve had babies on the brain lately. No, no - I’m not making any announcement here, just telling you what’s on my mind. I’ve been privileged to hold 2 newborns lately…I just chatted with my friend who is due any day…I’ve talked to a friend about her pending adoption…and I’m attending yet another baby shower next week. It’s got me thinking about Psalm 139. When I think of new children coming into the world, I always think about how much God is behind this miracle.
Oh
yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my
mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – you’re breathtaking! Body
and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a
creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my
body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was
sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you
watched me grow from conception to birth; All the stages of my life
were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before
I’d even lived one day. I know this subject is painful for many. My friend’s adoption actually just fell through…another friend of mine miscarried (again) recently…and we have many friends struggling with infertility. And some were born into a family that was not supportive and loving. But my heart still beats faster every time I read this passage. Even when I don’t have babies on the brain, I love Psalm 139. Why? Because it reminds me that I am a CHILD of GOD. He planned every day of my life before I was born. Sometimes I question his preparation because those days he planned included being born early and fighting for my life, as well as many other dark times as an adolescent and an adult. But I am also awed and thankful for the many fabulous days where I’ve experienced love and wonder and miracles and grace. Regardless of who gave birth to us, who raised us, and how good or bad a job they did – this is true for all of us. We are all sons and daughters of a loving God. Wow. Does that run electricity down your spine like it does mine? God is the perfect father. We all have the perfect parent because of him. I take a lot of comfort in that fact. Some days I worry about what kind of parent I am to Henry (wondering how many years of counseling I’m setting him up for…). For instance just today I let him watch 2 hours of videos so I could finish this, and then I told him after his nap we’d run through the Elmo (“Mo-mo”) sprinkler. Unfortunately his toddler brain is not very good at waiting, and a misunderstanding ensued. This meant I put him down to sleep while he was screaming “Mo-mo…Mo–moooooooooooo!” at the top of his lungs. To top it off, I fed him fast food for lunch. Sigh. I remind myself that Henry is a child of God too, and therefore he has at least one perfect parent. Good news, eh?! This week, as I pray, I will talk to God about being that perfect Father. I really want to get to know him better and to fully experience that perfect love that can only come from God himself. I also think that the more I get to know God and what he’s like as a parent to me, the better parent I will be myself - as well as a better friend, wife, and daughter. And that’s good news! Grace and Peace, Leah Smith To respond to this message, please direct your emails to: lsmith@ecreekside.com Yahweh, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there too - your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in! Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute - you're already there waiting! Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light! It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you. Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; All the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. Your thoughts - how rare, how beautiful! God I'll never comprehend them! I couldn't even begin to count them - any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers - out of here! - all the men ad women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations.. See how I hate those who hate you, Yahweh, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies! Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong - then guide me on the road to eternal life. Psalm 139 in The Message . . . |
