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Yesterday I took my baby boy Graham (5) to see our family dentist named Steve. He is a great "tooth man" and a good friend of mine.
Graham was up until 4:30 a.m. Sat. night, screaming with a tooth ache. I stayed up with him personally and watched him suffer. When Missy left town early Monday morning, I was left to escort him to the undertaker, I mean, the dentist. I assumed it would be the typical visit and he would get a filling. He does extremely well at the dentist and has no fear whatsoever. Matter of fact, he likes to go! Therefore, I was at ease about taking him in Missy's absence. I would spend 30 minutes at the office and then drop him off to get to work with "no big deal". I could do Missy's normal routines in my sleep -- or so I thought!
Once we arrived, I was told by the doctor he had an abscessed tooth and the best solution was extraction. Graham was given happy gas, or in his case, hyper gas and a couple shots that didn't even cause him to flinch. Tough young man and a chip off the old block! Every time Steve grabbed his tooth, Graham went into tornado mode. After several more shots, Graham was still in pain wanting death and was letting the whole office know with his horror movie screams. Finally, with the pull of a Clydesdale horse, the tooth with 3 foot roots, was removed. I was so sick to my stomach that I wasn't sure whether to throw up or faint. Both seemed like inevitable options!
When I finally left 90 minutes later, I was so exhausted that it seemed like I hadn't slept in days. Every inch of my body felt as if it had been through torture. I am not joking when I say it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had with a child. To watch him suffer was agonizing; however, God taught me a lesson.
What kind of father authorizes a procedure with so much pain?
What kind of father doesn't stop something he has the ability to stop?
What kind of father simply stands by while suffering unfolds?
The kind of father who does these things is the kind of father who loves his child more than anything!
I could have stopped the storm, but opted instead, to ride it out with him!!
I could have been focused on his immediate comfort rather than his long term health.
MY ACTIONS DO NOT DISPROVE MY LOVE, BUT PROVE HOW DEEP MY LOVE REALLY IS!
I know that when there is an infection, it must be removed so that it does not infiltrate and contaminate his whole body. I was willing to allow him to endure pain for his greater good.
Are God the Father's actions any different?
Didn't He stand by, as His Son was being butchered?
Was He not decimated as He watched His Son endure the removal of our sin?
Was His heart not crushed by the agony?
He allows relationships, material things, careers, circumstances, and situations to be extracted from our lives for our protection. The extractions hurt, but they are so needed!
He often doesn't stop the wind and waves of troubles, but He never jumps out of the boat either.
Are you going through a painful removal of some kind? Is there some internal infection that has entered your spiritual bloodstream?
If so, call out His name (like my son did mine), and be assured that He is by your side. You'll soon realize that He has never been closer. Remember, His heart is filled with love towards you.
Finally, thank and trust Him.
Be grateful that He loved you enough to allow His Son to suffer and die in your behalf when He could have stopped the whole disgrace.
A father learning by his Father's example,
Jay |
