My kids have been making me so proud here lately.
You know all the things- honor roll, high test scores, athletic banquet etc, etc…
One girl rocked the house with a hilarious comedy routine at the talent show. Another girl, although backstage, shown brightly with her attitude of serving and encouragement. And yet another girl tried something new and stretched her boundaries just a bit while that one boy displayed just how creative his mind works so uniquely from the others.
Yes, just like any other parent, you just ask me one simple question about my kids, and I could gush about them for an hour. The pride swells and the praise flows!
This week, while thinking how proud I am of my wonderful children, the thought occurred to me how God the Father must have felt the same way about Jesus.
As Jesus stepped out into His ministry, God the Father took his opportunity to show just how proud He was of Jesus during His baptism. In Luke 3:22, it says,
“and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
God was so proud of Jesus, He spoke audibly with words of love and affirmation. The Holy Spirit showed up to pour out Holy Presence with what looked like to human eyes a dove. The trinity had been waiting since eternity past for this very special moment when the ministry of the Christ would begin and change the whole course of creation.
“Look at my boy! I’ve been waiting for this moment for ages! You can’t even think or imagine all the good things he is capable of doing. Just wait till you see how much He loves you and wants to do My Will. This boy of mine is amazing and I’m so proud!”
Just a few short years later, for God the Father, it probably felt like a few minutes (I mean, times flies when you’re a parent, right?), Jesus fulfilled his ultimate reason for becoming flesh. He took the cross, carried it up the hill, and laid himself down upon it for the sake of us all. In His humanity, He prayed “Father, if there’s any other way…” then He obeyed unto death. But then, He prayed “Father, forgive for they know not what they do.”
Scripture says God the Father looked away. He looked away because Jesus bore the sins of all humanity on Himself. God the Father had to look away because He couldn’t look upon the sin.
But I can’t help but imagine at the same time, God the Father was also so immensely proud that it was all He could do to contain Himself.
It’s must have pained God more than I can imagine to see His Son in that condition. But also, He knew that Jesus had completed the purpose to redeem all of creation. To know that your kid is doing what they were meant to do….I mean….there’s no greater joy!!!
I know I can’t totally understand the mind of God. I know that I’m attributing human characteristics to the Infinite, Eternal God. But, He helps me to understand Him just a little bit through a human experience that I can comprehend.
So, as my children are doing all their awesome, great things this spring, I feel the tiniest bit of how God must have felt. Just a sliver. As we approach the Easter season and Resurrection Sunday, I will be looking for ways at how God expresses His joy and delight at the obedience, suffering (yes, even His suffering) and the triumph of the Savior of the world!
~Amy