One of my most cherished life memories occurred within five minutes of becoming a parent.

As my heart burst with love, my little one filled the room with shrill cries of protest as the nurse wheeled her to the corner of the room for routine evaluation. Her father heard her cries and naturally, he responded. He walked over, stood beside her, leaned in closely, and simply said, “Hey.” The very moment her father spoke, she turned her face toward him, and her crying immediately stopped. Instant peace. It was like she knew...her father saw her, heard her, and she was not alone.

The comfort she found in realizing that her father was there impacted my heart deeply. Several years passed before I learned how God, our Heavenly Father, hears our cries, “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.” Psalm 34:17.

I was once ministering to a prisoner who struggled with accepting God’s redeeming grace; which we don’t deserve, can’t earn, and yet we are justified through faith by God’s grace, mercy, and love. I realized that the parental love that I have for my child must surely be modeled after the love that God has for us. Love that cannot be erased. We look upon our children with unfailing love, and adoration. With care and concern for guiding them onto the right path. We marvel at the wonder of this remarkable creation, from our own flesh and blood. We are made from God, in His image, and His spirit has been poured into us.

The Bible says we are to come to Him like a little child. A child lifts their eyes to their loving parent without hesitation. The simple fact is, we need our Heavenly Father. We are all sinners, and we all fall short. We miss the mark, sometimes we spend years “sidetracked” away from God. Similar to a caring parent instructing their children about the dangers of playing near the street, God has instructed us through scripture of the dangers of sin, to protect us from allowing the enemy to gain a foothold.

Jesus told a story, The Parable of the Lost Son, to illustrate God’s love. After years of wild living, the son returned home, humbled, broke, and starving. The father threw a celebration in his delight that his son had returned to him, after years of being “lost.”

Similarly, in the story of the lost sheep, the shepherd leaves the rest of his herd to seek out that one sheep that wandered off on his own. The shepherd rejoices when he finds that lost sheep. In Luke 15:10, we read “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

What a glorious celebration that must be!

Take a moment to absorb this, let it take root, and sink into your spirit: God is for you, He is not against you. He has given you the very breath of life. Every spiritual blessing that He has planned for you is waiting for you to claim. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy that cause distraction and division, preventing you from shifting your focus from your struggle to calling on the mighty name of Jesus.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

For many years, I was so distracted I literally forgot about God. I feverishly tried to manage life in my own strength, which left me discouraged, anxiety-ridden, and weary. Life’s distractions held my focus and energy. Then something changed. I shifted my focus from all my problems, called on the name of Jesus, and learned what it meant to surrender to God. He was there all along. Patiently and lovingly waiting to be invited into an active role in my life. So I cried out, and naturally, He responded. I turned my face to the Lord, and found the very source of peace. I want to encourage you now, and urge you to find peace in knowing that God sees you, He hears you, and you are not alone.

“This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9