Experiencing an event or circumstance versus simple knowledge of it is very powerful and impacting. Experience goes deep inside you and marks you in a special way – it sort of “drives things home”.

This past week, I was blessed to go visit with some kids from one of our partner homes here in Cambodia. This is a safe house for kids from at-risk or trafficked backgrounds. These kids are some of my favorites. As I spent time with them throughout the day, love stirred in my heart. I began to reflect a bit from the Father’s perspective. I started to think about love and the Father’s heart. Because if I love these kids, then doesn’t God think and feel similar things toward us as His kids?

Here are a few aspects of love that rose up in me:

• Delight

I delighted in the kids! They didn’t have to do anything to earn my love, but I simply loved them because they existed. This helped show me more of the love of the Father – that He loves us because He loves us. In Matthew 17:11 God speaks about His Son Jesus and says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”. Zephaniah 3:17 says that God will rejoice over us with gladness and sing loudly over us. God is pleased with you today and His delight is in you because you are His child.

• Compassion

My heart was for the kids! I was inclined to listen to them and help them with what they needed. Isn’t this true of God? Romans 8:31 says that God is for us. Psalm 103:13 says, “As a father shows compassion to His children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him”. Just as it’s our natural inclination to care for and be understanding to those we love, God’s heart is inclined to show us compassion. He is ready to help you with what you need!

• Grace

I had grace for the kids. I knew and saw that the children weren’t perfect and that they were in the process of growing and maturing. But I didn’t look down on them because of this. Each one was on their own unique journey and one was not better than the other. My heart was to meet each child where they were and in a way that they could relate to. Remember the heart of God for you. He knows all of who you are – in fact, He formed you (Psalm 139:1-3, 13)! He meets you where you are on the journey and invites you to come deeper with Him. He runs to meet you like the father ran to his son in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:20). His love never fails no matter the circumstance you’re in.

• Empowerment

My heart desired that each child discover who God made them to be and to step confidently into that. Each girl and boy is formed beautifully and uniquely by God. Each has certain desires, dreams, and talents that differ from the other. And it’s all good! God calls us all to be strong and courageous and to step into the plans He has for each of us (Joshua 1:9). Before He even formed us, He knew us and the good plans He had for us (Jeremiah 1:5, 29:11). Who has God made you to be? Know that His delight is for you to discover the wonderful person He’s formed you to be! There’s no one like you!

Isn’t our Father good?! Today, I encourage you to meditate on the character of your heavenly Father and to rest in His perfect, everlasting love. Who can compare to Him?

Written by: Jacqueline Bixler
Published on: 6/26/18