So my wife and I took our 9 yr-old son Julian to the airport last Saturday. He flew out to Seattle to visit my family and Jen’s family for a week each. This is the first time he’s ever been away from home for that long. I’m really glad he had a chance to go out there because I know he’ll have a great time visiting with family whom he doesn’t get to see all that often. But he will have been gone for two weeks before I fly out and join him. I kind of miss the little guy and I actually teared up as I left the airport (I know that’s a real shocker that I got emotional). I miss the little tender moments between him and me, like when we’d be in the middle of playing catch or something and then for no particular reason he’ll simply say “hug” and come over and I’d give him a hug.
I’m reminded of the Matthew 10 Bible verse where Jesus is sending out his 12 disciples and tells them “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
At first glance that passage might give the impression maybe Jesus is trying to give us a guilt trip about loving our parents or our children too much. Far from it!
I think what the passage really illustrates is that it gives us a glimpse of the depth and scope of God’s love that exists for us through his Son. We all (hopefully) can relate to how at one time or another we have been loved by our parents and how as parents we have such a profound love for our children.
Jesus also wants to be loved by us and be in communion with us on a daily basis. But it’s not so much that as Christians we should start loving our family less as if Christ is demanding it all for himself. Rather, it should get us trying to imagine that as much as we have a deep capacity to love and be loved by others, how much greater is the Lord’s unconditional love that exists when we seek Him. This is what we have in Christ!
So when I think of how much I love that little guy and what a blessing he is to my wife and me it also reminds me of an even greater love from the Lord that dwarfs anything I could ever express. The idea of that brings about a profound peace and comfort to me. And that’s way better than even a hug.
From Pastor Mark’s Heart
August 11, 2013