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I find faith in the miracle that “I am Jesus’s favorite child.” I can state it with confidence even after a lifetime of mistakes! But did you know that there is even a greater miracle: You are His favorite too.
“Wait,” you might say, “how we all be His favorite child?”
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@MaryHill16″]Favorite: one thing that is revered above all other things. [/tweetthis]
I remember my father had a knack for making me feel like his favorite. He had four children. I know he loved us all equally, but he often made special time for me.
I can still feel the salt air and the breezes coming off the beach as we drove down Federal Highway in Pompano City, Florida in the mid 1980s. I had just turned 16 that week. This was a solo trip: just him and me out together. I didn’t know where my father was taking me.
We had lunch first at a popular hamburger stand, and then after passing the huge Pompano City Mall, we turned down a deadend side street where we stopped at a stripmall, at the tailend a Christian bookstore. He had one thing in mind to buy me : a Bible. Not just any Bible, but a fancy study Bible. He even had my name engraved on it.
My dad was a man of few words; so, all I remember is that he handed me the Bible with a nod. He didn’t smile or hug me. The Bible spoke his love for me.
Other times, he spirited me away on special excursions: just simple drives in the countryside. I remember one in particular as a teen. He drove around in what seemed like random directions. He stopped the car at random houses and recalled for me how he helped put the roofs on each.
I think my all time favorite memory with him was the morning he woke me up at 6 a.m. to take me to the local Hardees. We were living in Greenville, SC, then.
The summer had been rough. I made the mistake of my life, marrying a man and moving to California to begin my life with him; only he deserted me and went AWOL only nine days after he married me. I came home in disgrace, having nowhere else to go.
My father made me feel like his favorite even then as I came off the plane and saw him and my mom standing at the end of the disembarkment hallway. He held an ugly doll in his hands: a gift of love even though I had let him down so badly. His silent love engulfed me in a rare hug.
Fastforward to two weeks later when I discovered the college I had applied for still had my scholarship waiting and financial aid to help pay for my first year. My mom and dad decided I was going even though married. They helped me pack my things the night before our trip to Virginia and loaded up the car.
At six a.m. on an August Saturday, my dad nudged me from bed to take me to breakfast. We drove silently to his favorite Hardees. He got out and we went into order, gravy biscuit for me. He sat across from a group of older men, his peers and started bragging.
“My girl is on her way to college today,” he said beaming. “She got a scholarship.”
“Congratulation young lady,” one of my dad’s croonies said. “You study hard and keep your old man proud.”
He made me feel like his favorite that day despite having made the worse mistake of my life only two weeks earlier. The mistake forgiven and forgotten.
He had four kids, and we were all his favorites. My dad loved us; of this I have no doubt, even though times were sometimes hard because of his mental illness and anger. He made mistakes and sinned too. Even with his flaws, you know, my dad is Jesus’s favorite child too. He is in heaven now with my sons or daughters whom my sister and I lost when we miscarried. I still believe our miscarriages happened out of God’s favor so my dad could have grandchildren with him while he waited on us to come home.
Favorite child. Favorite love. We mere humans can have favorites but only a few of them. We don’t have the capacity of the cross to show favoritism to all.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@MaryHill16″]Each one of us is Jesus’s favorite. That is the miracle of the cross.[/tweetthis]
When He died on that Cross 2000 years ago, time froze. He saw my life play out. He saw each sin I commited and for which He died. He saw my failures in rushing His plan for my life and twice choosing men that would only hurt me. He saw everytime I lied, everytime I cussed or misused others. He saw my every sin and forgave them, washing away the guilt and shame. He did all that 2,000 years ago across the gulf of time.
Then he ordained the blessings and happy times. He planned them so they would be extra special. The walk down the aisle with my brother over 13 years ago to marry the man of my dreams. The man God meant me for me. My brother telling me that it was his third favorite day of all times. My father smiling from heaven as my youngest brother stood in for him and gave me away. I know I kept him proud that day.
Just like the day my daughter was born. She came into the world after 36 hours of labor; only 15 minutes of that with an epidural, a red and splotchy, long, beautiful baby. The apple of my eye. Now, I knew how my dad must have felt the day I was born, proud. I kept him proud that day too.
Jesus saw all of these moments from His cross. He saw my life play out.
Then he saw your life play out. He saw the lives of billions of people, each individually, in an internal movie playing in his pain, dazed mind. He could identify each of us by name and see each of our faces stop in time in front of him. “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” He cried from the cross. Greater love …. His greater love for each one of us spilled out in blood and water after the soldier drove his speer into His blood soaked stomach. He said, “It is finished.” The greatest sacrifice of all time.
Jesus said in Luke 12:7 that even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
“Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
Each one of us that acceped His sacrifice became His favorite. He took the time to write each of our names in His Book of Life. Do you want to be His favorite too? He has already numbered the hairs on your head. He has paid the price for every mistake, every sin. Bow your head and accept Him.
Do you feel favored and love? Share your stories in the comments.
This post was part of the One Word Blog Linkup hosted by, Janine of Confessions of a Mommyholic, Marica of Blogitudes, and me! This week, the word prompt choices were After and Pretend. If you would like to join the linkup you can find more information HERE, sign up for weekly emails HERE, and/or join our Facebook group HERE. Every Friday, two prompts are emailed. Choose one and write a post using that word as inspiration. Linkup up any time between 6:00am EST on Wednesday-9:00pm EST on Thursdays on any of the host sites.
And:
Karen Beth’s linkup
This week’s prompt phrase was “I find faith in …”
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Also joining these hops : Words With Winter Linkup, Grace at Home party, Thought-Provoking Thursdays, #Grace &Truth , Faith & Friends, Faith and Fellowship Blog Hop, Faith Filled Fridays, Fellowship Fridays, Friendship Fridays, #DanceWithJesus Friday Linkup and Fridays Unfolded.
Be sure to check out my linkup party page for more great linkups that I join regularly.
Lovely post. I can also see the pure forgiveness from your own heart.
Thanks for linking up with Grace & Truth.
Jenn recently posted…Comment on Invitation to Join the Imperfect Mom Confessional Series by Ingrid Lochamire
I see you have chosen my life verse to help you through the tough times and to recognize the good times. I love you and am so proud to be able to read your blogs and enjoy everyone of them. There are so many things to remember that are good and it is a wonderful thing to see them being brought forward to enjoy again.
Thanks for the beautiful post. Just as their is no partiality with God, I am inspired to show my children there is no partiality with Mom either. Each child is my favorite in his or her own special way.
Leslie recently posted…We Won Great Prizes Reading + The Cul-de-Sac Kids Series Review
What a beautiful post! A child is such a blessing and unconditional love for that child is a needed component to raising that child. Have an amazing weekend!
Stacey Gannett recently posted…I Didn’t Listen!
That is a beautiful post. Sorry for echoing the others. I enjoyed reading it.
Carin recently posted…Hot, Cold, and Court
Such a sweet story and sweet memories. It’s a challenge to remember that God favors us, but He sure does.
Kim Cunningham recently posted…Little Things Thursday
Kim, thanks for the kind words and for stopping by. 🙂
Mary Hill recently posted…Miracle of Jesus’s Favorite Child
I have a book I read to my children called “You’re All My Favorites.” It’s about three little bears who start questioning which one is the parents’ favorite because of their differences. Of course, the parents find the perfect way to tell their cubs that they are ALL the favorites! 🙂
Lisa @ The Golden Spoons recently posted…I Will Always Cheer Them On
Lisa, that book sounds adorable. Thanks for sharing.
Mary Hill recently posted…Miracle of Jesus’s Favorite Child
What a powerful post. I am just finding my way back to God. It took me 40 years to realize that he really did love me and was there for me.
Tessa recently posted…Questions/Comments about my Bipolar
Teresa, I am so happy for you that you are finding your way back. I know it was rough, but God love you. I will be praying for you.. Know you are loved. 🙂
Mary Hill recently posted…Miracle of Jesus’s Favorite Child
Ive always believed that when Jesus died on the cross, he did it for each individual person…we are all uniquely made and loved!
Sacha recently posted…Why we shouldn’t Pretend for too long
Aw, beautiful Mary. My dad did the same for me after I had made a pretty big mistake when I was younger. So, you kind of brought me back to that reading this tonight. Thanks for this reminder and for sharing your story here.
Janine Huldie recently posted…9 Things I Would Pretend I Never Did for My Kids’ Sake
I love my beautiful and talented sister! 🙂 <3
Very nicely written! What lovely memories of Dad that are so easy to forget and become crowded out by so many bad memories. I am glad that you brought these good memories to the forefront. I agree that we need to forgive him as he is human and had mental illness and we should try to forget every bad thing and just focus on the good things. Hard to do with the scars, but probably healing and a balm.
I am forgetting the bad. I am forgetting a lot of things with age. I am going to hang on to good memories. It is the way forward. Philippians 4:8 Think on these things whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report… That is going to be my goal for the rest of my life.