Safe in His Love

My baby girl laughed for the first time last night.

Music to my ears.

I probably scared her to death with my reaction – my ridiculous yell of delight, thunderous clapping of hands, and my earnest attempts to get her to repeat that sweet sound for the next half hour.

Yesterday in the grocery store my 2 year old tried to boop me. What??? You don’t know what that means??? Well, I don’t completely understand it either but it involves poking and then a cry of “I booped you!!!” followed by hysterical laughter. I had to make a rule that no booping is allowed in the grocery store. Yes, I can actually keep a stern face and say, “You know you are not supposed to boop mommy in the grocery store.” I had to deliver this firm instruction yesterday, to which Little replied, “I’m not trying to boop you, I’m just trying to hug you.”

Melt my heart.

So we walked around the produce section with Little in the cart and me hunched over so she could reach her arms around me. I would walk around all day like that if I could.

The thing that I’m realizing in parenthood, is that my children do not have to go to great lengths to delight my heart. They don’t have to earn my favor. I bask in the simple, spontaneous actions that show that they know me, and that they know that I love them.

Hebrews 11:6 states that “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Could it be that the same things in my children that delight my heart, also please my heavenly Father?

My baby laughs at me because she knows me and on some level, she feels safe in my love.

My daughter hugs me because she knows that I love her and that her affections are safe with me.

They know me. They know who I am. They trust in me. And their actions flow out of their beliefs.

My dear Father doesn’t require me to earn His favor. He is most pleased with me when I believe. When I believe that He exists…when I trust that He is good…when I know that He will meet me and satisfy me and welcome me when I seek Him…

And if I fill my mind and my heart with these truths of His presence and His character, then the things that I do will flow out of that and reflect it.

And when I laugh, it will be because I am safe in His love.

And when I worship Him, it will be because I am safe in His love

And when I make sacrifices in my roles as wife and mother, it will be because I am safe in His love

And when I reach out to others, it will be because I am safe in His love.

And when I fail, and sin, and make a mess of things, I will run to the cross because I know that I am safe in His love.

And He will be pleased, not because of what I do, but because I know that I am safe in His love.