Catherine Brown looks at God's love

Catherine Brown

Our youngest child Samuel is almost ten years old and is just finishing year five at the local Primary School. Samuel often makes me laugh and says the funniest things. However, as is often the way of an innocent child, he frequently speaks out a profound truth that causes me to pause and think deeply on what he said. He has such a tender heart.

Just last week the Head Teacher from Samuel's school called to say that he had received a nasty bump to his head because another boy was fighting with him. Apparently, it had been raining heavily during lunch time and the children were kept indoors as a result. As you can imagine the children were feeling cooped up and needed to let off steam. The children were playing a game of throwing a soft pencil case to each other but one boy got hit with the pencil case and unexpectedly came charging full force at Samuel. In the ensuing encounter, as the angry boy's feet and fists flew everywhere, Samuel sustained a bump to his head as he fell to the ground (just before the school monitors intervened). Samuel was swiftly sent off to the Medic and an ice pack was administered to the Vesuvian-style bump.

The other boy was reprimanded for his behaviour and had to spend the rest of lunch time in the school office.

Having been assured by the Head that Samuel was ok, I waited till the usual time to pick him up from school. I gave Samuel a big hug and asked him what had happened. Samuel said to me, "It's ok mum, we're friends now. He said he was sorry and we shook hands and I told him he had anger issues and needed some help. I didn't hit him back because I thought it would make things worse." In reply I smiled broadly at my son and told him I was proud of him and that I felt he had made the right decision. Next he grinned at me and said, "Oh mum Jesus forgave us what else can we do except forgive others!" I said, "Give me five honey!" and we slapped hands in mid air with a resounding sense of God's love triumphing over all.

The message of God's love and forgiveness is at the core of the Gospel.

Life can make us feel a bit "beat up", and we sometimes react angrily to unexpected situations and end up in confusion and pain. Samuel understands that God gave us a way to His heart, to access forgiveness for ourselves and others - and that is through relationship with Jesus. The bible teaches us that as we receive forgiveness, so we are to release forgiveness to others who hurt us. How many adults I wonder would have had the same level of openness to reconciliation as two nine year old boys? Their lunch-time lobbing models much of God's heart to us.

The pencil case incident was on Friday. On Saturday night Samuel and I were at home alone and sitting together on the sofa having a cuddle. He looked at me with his beautiful blue eyes and said, "Mum I really love you," with the kind of smile that melts your heart. I replied, "Samuel, I really love you too." The next ten minutes were spent in absolute fits of laughter as Samuel said, "No I love you more," and I responded "No I love YOU more" and so on... and every time we said it the two of us rolled about laughing.

Eventually Samuel said, "Ok, we love each other the same," then he grinned at me and pointed to heaven and said, "But there is One who loves us more...." to which I just flung my arms around him and we laughed and hugged. It was time for another triumphant 'high five.' What a special moment between a parent and their child!

The bible teaches us "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1John 3:1). God longs to pour His Father's love out on us and is simply waiting for us to respond to the invitation to receive this love by accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour. The divine narrative was written at the Cross, where Jesus suffered inexpressible agony and pain,so that we might be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God our Father and know the love of God and His power at work in our surrendered hearts. Maybe today you could take a moment to respond to the "One who loves us more".

God bless you and keep you in His tender care.