Lemuel just turned one year old last Saturday. Since we’ve gotten here, I’ve been enjoying watching him learn to walk. His smile of joy and accomplishment when he walks from one person to another makes me smile in return. I can’t stop looking at him and smiling. On Sunday he started walking independently for the first time. I was so proud of him! The other day he was sitting in his high chair watching cartoons and I came over to say hello to him, and he reached up for me to pick him up. I was so pleased by his desire to be with me.
Ever since week one, the Father Heart of God has been a recurring theme in our classes. As I look at Lemuel, God’s heart towards us becomes even clearer to me. I’m not even related to Lemuel, and yet, each accomplishment he has fills my heart with joy. Every time he smiles when I’m around, I smile in return. God is like that with us. Our accomplishments, our growth from baby Christians to mature men and women of the word, fill Him with joy and pleasure. When we delight in his presence, he is pleased. He is longing for us to run to him, to stretch out our arms to him and acknowledge our need for him.
Tessa isn’t even one month old yet. When I hold her, I feel such contentment. Watching her mother and father look at her and hold her, you can’t help but see the overwhelming love they have for her. She’s done nothing to deserve it. All she can do is receive their love. She doesn’t even smile or coo in return yet, she’s too little. And yet, their love for her is immense.
God loves us like that. We can’t earn his love. He loved us before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1: 4 says, “he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” When he sees us, he looks on us as his sons and daughters, “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)
Accept your Father’s love as a little child accepts love from their father. Turn to him to provide for you and protect you. Delight in his presence, and know that he delights in your trust in him.
5 comments:
beautiful :)
Amazing testimony. How beautiful that God is using these precious children that are part of our YWAM family to minister to the hearts of those around them.
Thanks Annie, that was really an encouragement.
Love you, MOM
Hi, Annie.... Reading how amazing your experience is going is joyful. Just needed to let you know that I am thinking about you. Pls take care and keep up with what God is put you on this earth to do. Bless you!
Maribel
hiya annie,
you know, what you wrote about Lemmuel is just how i feel every day when i see dahlila. she is walking now, zombie style with arms outstretched. sunshine rays of pride and love from me to her and back again.
as you know, every moment hold a beautiful message.
peace,
bethany
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