A Toddler's Time Out and A Parent's Sacrifice

Over the week as I realized Aletheia's temper tantrums were growing wild, I made a decision to have an action plan. I would put her in the crib (that she doesn't sleep in ) for a 1 minute "time out" in the room alone the next time she threw a fit.

As I stood outside the door counting to 60, hearing her cry her guts out, it occurred to me that this was just a tiny bit of what God must have felt when he had to turn away and allow Jesus to be crucified on the cross for us - it was painful and heartbreaking, but necessary.

No parent can watch their child cry without feeling heartache to a certain degree. This night was tough for me. As much as I wanted to pick her up immediately to stop her tears, I knew I had to stick to my guns for the point to get across.

Of course, the 1 minute of Time Out was followed by a good 10-15 minutes of hugging, comforting, nursing, explaining, and telling her how much I love her.

At that moment, this verse came to mind - "For his anger only lasts a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime" ( psalm 30:5).

Which also got me thinking -

If in my imperfect love as a person and mother - I can feel this much heartache and pain in that 1 minute of seeing my child cry, how much more our Heavenly Father he had to watch his son suffer on the cross because it was so necessary and because he loved the world SO MUCH that he gave his only son?

This verse has been used and said and heard so many times, but how many of us truly know the degree of heartache experienced that moment a Father had to turn away from his son? Do we know what that day cost a Father? Do you know the heartache of this dad? Do I even realize the depth of love this dad (which is now also my dad), had to have for me to have allowed his son to be tortured and humiliated for my sins?

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Beloved, if you do not yet know - you have a dad who loves you SO much, that he turned away from his own son whom he loved with all his being, because he has no other choice ; because he doesn't want to be separated from you and wants a relationship with you - and the only way you can experience his love is through receiving the love he has for you through what he and his son went through FOR YOU.

This parent's sacrifice ,
is your love story.
This dad is your dad too -
Do you know him?