Drenched roads intermingled with the murkiness of night make exceptional conditions for one thing, wrecks. When there is a teenage driver behind the wheel the likelihood of a wreck seems to intensify. The state of the roads were no different yesterday evening as I was heading into Valley after dinner. It was chilly out and the rainfall appeared to be steadily increasing.
The luminescence of street lights are few and far between on the country roads. The dependency of light rest solely on your mode of transportation. The only other source of light that you might see is the passing by of another car.
Last night the darkness on the road went from desolate to a small collection of headlights that were stagnant. In the lane that I was occupying there was the red glimmer of break lights. Both lanes of traffic were at a standstill prior to crossing a bridge. The oncoming headlights cast a silhouette of a marred car.
Immediately my heart felt burdensome. Without thought I began to pray that whomever involved would be okay. Within seconds I could detect movement of legs from the car, followed by a vehicle navigating its way around the wreckage to come to aid. Solace hit as the teenager involved was unharmed. Minutes later we were able to make our way around the wreck, but it was what I observed next that filled my heart.
I glanced out the rain covered passenger window to see this young boy race to hug his father. His dads arms were open and eager to embrace him. I gazed as his father pulled the young boy into his arms and took ahold of him tightly. One hand on the childs’ back, the other hand grasped the boys head close to his chest. In one brief moment I watched every ounce of love gush out for which that father had for his son. I almost broke down into tears.
His father had no concern for the ruined car. His father did not even see the debris and wreckage around them. All that man seen was his son, and that his son was uninjured. There was an overflow of love.
Sometimes I believe life grants us opportunities to see Jesus- that moment felt like one of those times for me. That father did not see the wrecked car. His eyes were fixed on his son. All he wanted was to embrace him. His arms were open and ready.
That is God. God doesn’t care about how much damage we have done. Better yet, God doesn’t care how damaged we are (and we ALL are). He doesn’t see all the debris we are standing in. However, it is so easy for us to think that all he sees is our wrongs.
It is easy for us to look at our lives and see all the debris and feel unworthy of our Fathers love. It is easy for us to think He doesn’t want to embrace us through it all…but He is there. His arms are open. He is waiting. Like that young boys father, God longs to embrace us. He longs to draws us closer to Him.
Don’t be afraid to run to God because you think you are too damaged. You’re not. You never will be. He is standing there. His arms are open. If anything, we NEED to run to Him because we are damaged.
Side note: don’t let the fear of losing someone be the only reason you embrace them a little tighter and a little longer. Don’t take the people in your life for granted…love them fiercely while they are present. Embrace them like that father embraced his child.
