Watching a Screaming Child

WATCHING A SCREAMING CHILD
THEME: GOD’S SACRFICIAL LOVE IS BEYOND UNDERSTANDING.
Most parents are proud of their children. Recently, Charity was on a trip with Gabrielle to West Virginia. On the trip Gabrielle said Apple. Charity called me immediately. You may not think that saying apple is a big deal. But it was to me. The reason this was important to me was because of my background. Growing up I had a speech impediment. During elementary school I had to visit with a speech therapist on a regular basis. I struggled with numerous words, but apple was the most difficult for me to say. I just could not get the word off of my tongue. So when Gabrielle said apple at such a young age I was completely impressed and proud. I was extremely worried that Gabrielle would suffer from speech problems that I had to overcome. My heart overflowed with pride as my little daughter surpassed her dad in life.
Most parents are extremely proud of their children. Any time a child succeeds in life is a moment of rejoicing. When your girl wins an award, scores the winning point, or just does her best and puts her mind to an activity we fill up with pride. Any father or mother who has watched their little boy throw a pass, catch a ball, win an award, or works hard in accomplishing goals is overjoyed. It is hard to imagine a father or mother not reaping the benefits of watching a child succeed in life. Watching a child grow up and develop is truly a pleasure in life.
In the beginning of the Gospel Luke and Matthew tell the story of the birth of Christ. God decides to send his only Son to earth to save it. In the scene we can picture Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms. She must be extremely proud of her child. God has chosen her from all the women in the world to be the mother of his son. This must be a overwhelming time in her life. She is holding the child of God. Mary must have felt tremendous pride for his boy. This is the boy that will save the world. This is the promised child of Israel. The nation has been watching for this child for hundreds of years. In this time there was a great expectation that the Messiah would be coming soon. People were watching for him. And Mary now knows he is here. I am sure every new mother holds her first child with a sense of pride beyond my ability to describe it. But I wonder if it was any different for the mother of the son of God.
Even though Mary surely was ready to burst with pride for her new son, there was another person even prouder. You might be thinking that it was Joseph. I am sure he is also proud, but there is another father even happier. This father is God. One cannot even imagine the pride in God himself over his son. God must be looking down on that Christmas Eve with a huge smile on his face. There his son is on earth in the form of a man. There was his boy.
God had to be watching his son grow up like his creation. Every father reaps the rewards of watching his kids develop. The Bible says that Jesus increased in status, wisdom, and knowledge, and favor with man. Jesus was progressing like every human does. We get a clear understanding of God’s pride in his Son at Jesus’ baptism. Look at the scene. “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying,