I’ve been greeted each morning for the past couple weeks with the sight of this bleeding heart that came from my momma’s flower bed.  It is great reminder of her constant love and deeper still, a reminder of the immeasurable love the Father has lavished upon me. (1 John 3:1)

I am a parent of not one but two special sons.  Parenting seems to bring with it a series of “letting go” moments.  Seeing them ride away on that giant yellow school bus.  How about that first overnight stay at a friends house?  First corsage purchased for date to a dance.  The emotionally charged loading of the vehicle with all their worldly goods (the ones you have been purchasing for months at Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Meijer, etc.) to move into a tiny but outrageously expensive dorm room.

All along your child’s life you know that the love you have for him will never change, but he will change.  He will grow.  He will experience life.  What about that dad that sends his son off to bootcamp, and then off to the battle field?  Oh the pride you have as a parent watching your child go – oh the sorrow you feel knowing that you will always love, but you will never see that same person come back again.  They will have grown up.  Maybe they will be wounded physically or emotionally or maybe their experience will be magnificent; regardless that baby you sent away will not be the same.

God the Father has many many children that He loves deeply and I am proud to be called one of them, but He has ONE very special Son that He had to let go of one day.  He literally gave up His “One and Only” Son and that makes me wonder…  What was on His mind and heart as His Son left His side and descended upon earth?  What heartaches and pangs of loneliness did He feel?

* What about companionship and comradery they shared?  Yes, they talked.  But a phone call is not the same as a face to face talk is it?  A quiet talk from heaven to earth is not the same as the side by side talks they had shared for all of eternity before the world was ever created. (John 17:24)

* What about the experiences He was sending Jesus to face, alone?  Jesus left as the perfect untouched Son, and He returned having been wounded (physically and emotionally), having been loved by others, having defeated sin and death.  He returned a Savior.  Not that He changed, Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” However, He has now experienced in reality what He has only known of and planned for before.

My musings have led me to a couple conclusions for today.

First – God the Father let His Son go so we could know Him.  If you don’t have a relationship with the Father through His Son–here is how to start one today.

Second – God the Father let His Son go so we could understand what sacrifice means.

Third – God the Father let His Son go so we can live like Jesus; loving, serving and pointing others to His Father.