Unending Love

I had the chance to reflect on the story of Samuel and his mother, Hannah, in my quiet time this week.  I read through the story of desperation and sadness that Hannah felt and the torment she received from others because she was unable to have a child.  Her husband loved her despite the fact she felt inadequate.  She pleaded with God to give her a child and in return she would give him back.   In the end, Hannah found peace with God when she gave him everything.  That's where my thinking started getting the best of me...

Could I have done that?  Would I have retracted my promise?  What was it like to let him go to live in the temple?  Did she pine for the moments they went to worship at the temple just to get a glimpse of him?  Was he excited to see her come?  Was he angry?  Was he confused?  Did she flaunt her pregnancy to those who belittled her before?  Did she comfort those who found themselves in the shoes she once had to wear?  How did her husband feel about her promise?  Did he protest?  Did he care?  How did the priests feel about this deal?

We love our children so very much.  Both came into our family by their own journey.  We have held them both in wonder!  They are gifts that have been lent to us.  As they grow and learn,  we fall more in love with them.  We cherish our time together, and we call them our own.  But are they?  They've only been entrusted to us by the Lord. We've been given an opportunity to teach them, mold them, and love them the best we can.

Parenting is not an easy assignment.  Some days are harder than others.  But each day is a new chance to encourage, love, and grow.  Unlike Hannah, thankfully, we get the chance to see, first hand, each of them discover new things as they grow up.  But, like Hannah, we want to give our children to the Lord. We want them to experience the love of Jesus for themselves.  We want to show them how great and almighty God is!

And we want them to know we will love them.  Always.