How can a parent forget his child?
Much has been made of the recent tragedy in Marietta, Georgia where 33 year old Justin Harris left his 22 month old son, Cooper, in the car for 7 hours strapped in a car seat, resulting in the death of the child by intense heat exhaustion. There is no way to know the suffering that this little boy endured. Public outrage has been intense with some calling Mr. Harris a murderer, while others suggest that he is a grieving father who mistakenly did the unthinkable. Either way, the loss is tragic and so sad. I am grateful that it is not my job to determine the truth. Twenty-two years ago this month, my wife and I brought home our first child, a daughter. Her birth was greatly anticipated and we were excited and nervous to be first time parents. I carefully drove our small family home from the hospital–much to the chagrin of all the other drivers on the road that day. The first night I kept waking up to make sure the baby was still breathing. Her mother and I delighted in every moment with our daughter. She became our world and our schedules revolved about here. Fourteen months later, our second daughter arrived and then nearly six years after that, our son made his way into our hearts and lives. My children live 12 hours away from me now, but I still think of them every single day. They are the apples of my eye.
Over the years I have worked with men and women who were not the apples of their parents’ eye. In fact, while they were not left in a hot car to perish, they were forgotten and cast aside. One dear lady named Sasha bore the scars of abuse at the hands of her father, and perhaps even more painful, the neglect of her mother. I met Sasha in her second marriage. Her first husband was sadly much like her father. She was angry and wounded. Her anger kept most people at bay. Her current marriage was in jeopardy. She ruminated over her past hurts and seemed to be defined by them. When I asked Sasha about God, she retorted that if God really cared about her, then He would not have let father abuse her and her mother stand by and do nothing. Toward the end of our conversation, I read the words of the prophet Isaiah to Sasha, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Sasha broke and began to weep. You may feel forgotten, wounded and alone today. The One who made you will not forget you. In fact, your name is written on the palm of His hand.
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