thought for the week

My great niece has just given birth to her first child.

Most parents will remember the overwhelming feeling of love that filled our whole being when our children were born.

This deep, unconditional love never leaves us, even though our children grow up and make a new life away from home.

However, we can be hurt by our children and sometimes we may wish we could turn off our love, but we can’t.

Our children are our flesh and blood: we love them utterly and completely, no matter what they sometimes say or do.

This is the relationship God has with us!

Jesus’ parents also discovered that bringing up children can be fraught with anxiety and pain – just read the story of his visit to the Temple aged 12, intentionally disobeying Mary and Joseph who thought him to be in the group travelling home.

He was, in fact still in Jerusalem, causing them great worry for three days.

When they found him, there was no apology, just, “Did you not know that I would be in my Father’s house?”

Raising children is never easy and sometimes parents often discover their love is accompanied by some degree of pain.

This is especially true for parents with teenagers when they begin to want adult choices and privileges yet still behave like young children.

When they want their freedom and independence, but still cling to the parental home for security (and finance).

In such circumstances, as Mary and Joseph showed, nconditional love is the greatest gift that parents can give to their children.

The love we have for our children when it is unconditional is a reflection of the love God has for us despite all the baggage of past mistakes we carry with us.

That’s quite a thought and it’s a love and acceptance he wants us to extend to others!

That’s a real challenge and very difficult unless, of course, we know in our hearts that we are truly loved.