August 30
Scripture: 1 John 3:1
Source author: Michele Cushatt
August 30
Abundantly, Freely See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! —1 John 3:1
The day I married my husband and became an instant mom to two little boys, I walked down the aisle with visions of Brady Bunch bliss. Little did I know that within months I’d be demoted from beloved mother figure to wicked stepmom. Living in a blended family is not always easy. In fact, it’s often complicated and overwhelming. Underneath the day-today challenges sits the fear that the stepchildren you love as your own will never truly love you in return. During a particularly difficult time, I grew discouraged in my stepmom role and poured out my complaint to God: I give so much, God, with very little in return. It’s so unfair! I know, He whispered to my soul, thick with the tender compassion of someone who knows what it’s like to love so much and receive so little in return. Being a parent—step or otherwise—requires abundant love without any guarantee of payback. Thank heavens we have a Father who has loved us in the same way!
To love as God loves is to do so abundantly, freely. — Michele Cushatt —