Your Father Loves You

Good Morning American did a feature on the Steven Curtis Chapman family, a follow up after the tragic loss of their daughter Maria a few months ago. It was a great piece showing an intact family coming together and relying on their hope and faith in God to get them through their loss.
My heart went out to Steven’s wife; Mary Beth is her name I think. She made the “real” statement that at this point she didn’t really care who else was touched by Maria’s death, she was not concerned whether or not the lives of others were changed. Her mother’s heart just wants Maria back. Now, I am sure she does “care” for others but seriously, what mother would not feel the same way? She loved that little girl with her entire being. She feels as if a part of her is missing.

Steven spoke about the day of the tragedy. Sadly, it was their son Will Franklin who unknowingly ran over Maria. Every time I think about that I hurt for him. I cannot imagine what that family has gone through in their loss. As Steven jumped into his vehicle and got ready to head to the hospital where Maria had been taken he did something powerful. He rolled down his window and shouted to his son, “Will Franklin! Your father loves you.” With that he left to see about Maria.

He shared that he did not even remember doing that until someone brought it back to his attention. During the interview he explained that he was already concerned he was losing one child that day and he did not want to lose another. Will shared that after realizing what had occurred he just wanted to run away, he was devastated. As he began to run, his brother tackled him and hugged him with his other siblings around him. What a powerful display of love in the middle of such tragedy.

Later I was listening to Jesus Culture and the song, “How He Loves” came on. There is a verse that says, “We are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the GRACE in His eyes. If GRACE is an ocean, we’re all sinking. So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest. I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way… He loves us, oh, how He loves us, oh how He loves us… Oh how He loves!”

This incredible revelation of the love of God, the love of the Father suddenly swept over me. No matter what goes on in our lives, the mistakes we make, He loves us!

Imagine on your very worst day, when everything that could go wrong does go wrong and the things you thought were in the bag are dumped out at your feet and stomped on. On THAT day, God has opened the window of heaven and yelled your name, and then He says, “Your Father loves you!” And if that isn’t enough, when you feel like running and hiding, He tackles you with that love, that ocean of grace and surrounds you with people who believe in you in spite of every mistake, wrong turn, or circumstance. Oh! How He loves!!!!

That amazing love makes it so difficult to sit around regretting this and that, playing the shoulda, woulda, coulda song… because as the verse says, “I don’t have time to maintain these regrets…” Regrets demand maintenance. Did you realize that? The word “regrets” as it is used in this song is defined as: A feeling of disappointment or distress about something that one wishes could be different. Guess what… maintaining regrets will only beget one thing, MORE regrets!

So, with that said, let me encourage you today. Get swallowed up by His Ocean of grace and become enveloped by your Father! YOUR FATHER LOVES YOU!

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace (unmerited favor), comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)