02.26.04

Today’s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Clark may be contacted at fbcbb@pine-net.com.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16.

One of the most difficult things I’ve done was when I handed my son, Mason, off to a stranger for surgery when he was three months old. Just last Friday, his neurosurgeon told us that he would need another surgery. Most likely, it will not be as complicated as the first one, but the surgeon told us there is no way to know until he is there looking around.

My son is now two years old. I cannot imagine that it will be easier to hand him over to strangers this time around. If anything, it will probably be harder. He’ll be scared and upset…and Libby and I probably will be too.

The only comfort I have is that my God also has a Son. He knows exactly what I’m feeling, because He’s felt it before. He knows what it feels like to hand your precious child over to strangers. This is what happened when our Lord Jesus left heaven behind and entered our world in the flesh.

I don’t know how the surgery will turn out, but we have a high probability that things will be just fine. I cannot imagine how it would feel to be told your child was going to die or that his chances were not good at all.

Our Father in heaven knew exactly what was going to happen to his beloved son when he handed him over to strangers. He knew that his special boy would eventually suffer, be tortured and die a painful death on the cross. God knew those things and still sent His Son to save us. I cannot imagine that God loves His boy any less than I love mine. What must God have felt in the weeks, days, and hours that were leading up to his Son’s death on the cross?

Knowing that my God has experienced some of the same things I’m facing is a great comfort. It also helps to know that He is listening to and answering prayer. He answered most of mine the last time around and I’m hoping He will this time as well. When you enter into God’s presence in prayer, please remember my son, Mason.