I headed out on a walk/run this morning for the first time since I delivered our son. The sun had not yet risen. I turned on my playlist – the same one that played as I pushed through the fear and the pain to protect my baby and bring life into the world. A rush of emotions flooded back as I thought back to that day, and as I pushed my body, as my feet pounded the pavement, I remembered pushing, pushing pushing.
I thought about my little boy – in the months leading up to
the day of his birth, he grew in my womb. He developed just as God designed; he
rolled and tumbled and kicked me from the inside. Before I even met him, I was
in love. And as of yet, he had done absolutely nothing to deserve that love. He
hadn’t flashed me a gummy smile. He hadn’t gazed deep into my eyes. He hadn’t
babbled or uttered the first “I wuv you.” But as I realized his life was in
danger, I was willing to do anything. Anything! I loved my son already because
of who he was – my son! And I wanted life for him.
As I continued my route this morning, my music began to
serenade me the lyrics of “One Thing Remains/How He Loves.” And I began to
ponder the cross – the cross that Christ pushed through. The pain. The agony.
He pushed, pushed, pushed. And as of yet, we had done nothing to deserve that
kind of love. We had not sung his praise. We had not lifted our hands to
heaven. We had not told our neighbors of his greatness. He realized our lives were in danger, and Jesus was willing to do anything. Anything! He loved us already! While we
were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And because of his great
love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ while we were
yet dead in our sins (Eph. 2:4). He love us not because of what we’ve done, but
because of who we are – His creation, his children – and he wanted (and wants)
life for us. Life, not death!
I pushed through the pain to bring my son life. And Christ pushed through the pain to bring us life. Me. You. Us. We are loved, friends. So greatly Loved!
