Becoming a mother has transformed my life in many ways. One of the more profound ways has been a transformation of my view of God. Being a mom has given me a greater appreciation for the love God has shown us. The Bible provides us with so many examples and verses where God is depicted as a Father to us. Someone who loved and knew us before we even came into existence or before our eyes saw the light of day.Psalm 139:13-17 tell us…

  For you created my inmost being;
  you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
       How vast is the sum of them!

I can remember being just a few weeks pregnant and my doctor told me he thought I was having a miscarriage. The sorrow that over flooded my heart was indescribable. Although I felt no different than I ever had physically and had only known I was pregnant for just a week or so, the idea that MY child was in danger brought me incredible sadness. The instant overpowering desire to protect this unborn child was overwhelming and the knowledge that there was nothing I could do to protect her, devastating. You see, the love a parent has for a child is instant. There is no falling in or out of love with your child, rather it is a bond, an undying loyalty to protect that child that is innate. My daughter is 15 months old now and chronically sick. I can’t begin to describe the countless nights that I have been up all night, holding and comforting my sick little girl. When she calls, I am there ready to hear and comfort her because she is mine. In the same regard, you have been called by name and have been set apart…

Psalm 4:3

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
       the LORD will hear when I call to him.

Just like a mom with her child, the Lord our God has given us the opportunity to be called His children. He has called us by name and said, come to me and I will accept you, call on me and I will hear you. He is there to hear you at 3am when you call out to Him and is there to comfort you when your heart is heavy. I know firsthand that we aren’t all born into perfect families with perfect parents, but know that God is THE perfect Father. One who will never turn his head away from you when you call out to him, but has loved you before you were born and has a plan for you that transcends this earth and continues on into eternity.

The Bible did not say God was like a Brother or God was like Cousin… No, the Bible purposefully says that God is our Father in Heaven who is here to tend to our every hurt and be a balm to every wound this life has brought to us. Know today that regardless of what has transpired in your life, God knew you before you were born and is waiting to hold you in his arms and listen to the burdens of your heart.