A colleague of mine said to me one time “I think you will be probably be the first guy in our class to get married because you behave a bit like a father figure.” Unlike many 22.9 year olds, I find this one of the greatest compliments I could expect because honestly I cannot wait for that day when I will told “Mr Goredema, you now have a boy/girl.” I don’t care about the gender and I would just be so happy and euphoric in that moment. And it is in this context that I am always reminded in my meditation time that we are so loved by God.
I have often heard many men say, “I want to get married when I have accumulated a reasonable amount of wealth so that my children and wife do not suffer,” and again “I want to have a child so that they can inherit this from me.” In a clothing store, go to the kiddies and toddlers section and you will find many expectant parents joyfully picking up outfits and toys for children even yet unborn and if you spend a bit of time in a supermarket, chances are you will see many a parent pick up an item for their child, for their good—be it a chocolate, a book or now that Easter approaches an Easter egg. Or have you ever watched a couple peacefully strolling with their baby walker in the twilight hours and just looked and loved their serenity and joy? … I know the last example may not be your everyday panorama before you but if you are honest the picture is beautiful. It brings to the fore one continuous theme to me and that is parents invest a lot in their children, and they spend so much money and time all for the children’s benefit and betterment of their future. I mean, so many parents work to ensure that their children get a “better life than they, the parents, had.” Communication may not always be clear, there maybe tension but truth be told any sane parent loves their kids and the wiser we become, the more we realise this to be true even of the people you deem to be the worst. There is just something unique about being a parent.
And my friends this is the picture I often get that reminds me just how much God loves us. You see, Jesus comes to reveal God as the Father. He is Almighty, He is Sovereign, He is without equal and even devils know that. It is not a new piece of news or something that we would be surprised by, after all He did create everything so it figures. But this, to have God declare Himself to be our Father is really something. A father is devoted to his children and God declares Himself to be Our Father. Does this mean He is dedicated to my welfare, to my upkeep, to want to see me in every way succeed and happy and to see my dreams fulfilled? Does this mean He cares about the tiny stuff, the clothes I wear or the food I eat? Yes and even more than you think.
Growing up as kids safe and secure I the love of our parents, we dream of changing the world. As we get to the point where we can no longer rely on them and we need to fend for ourselves and we begin to fight battles in life, often our dreams and visions and targets become smaller. We get more concerned with the immediate, with the current for we have no one else to rely on but ourselves. However, this is a tragic lie.
Our relationship as kids with our parents should set for the tone to relate and rely on God’s love and ability for His love, His ability, His strength is still for us even now.
It is the desire of the Father to lavish love, and gifts and strength to the children. Our ability to receive and rely on this devotion is the one key that will define the course of history. If we cannot see ourselves as the beloved and the adored, we will not have the confidence in God it will take to see the change in the world. We are loved and God is keen on our affairs and our interests. And my dear friends we need to see this and believe for not only will it give us peace of mind and rest, it will also enable us to bring the change to the world we want to see.
Happy Easter Beloved Sons