Loved and cared for

Mr Guo lived in China with his two-year-old son. In 1997 the son was snatched by traffickers whilst playing outside the family home and was sold many miles away in central China.
 
The child’s father was devastated and so spent the next 24 years searching for his son, riding more than half a million kilometres on his motorbike, chasing tip-offs across China. During his search he wore out ten motorbikes, battled with highway robbers, slept under bridges, and even resorted to begging when his money ran out. Eventually, the BBC reported, his son, now a teacher, was located and they were reunited after their DNA samples were matched. Mr Guo said, “it’s only by searching can I feel like a true father.”
 
A film has been made of the story, which prompted more than nine million social media views, raising the comment that parents never give up on their children. How much more God’s love for us! 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Christ teaches us when we pray to say, “Our Father” and then went on to explain His caring relationship through a couple of stories, firstly that of a sleepy friend who is disturbed at night with a request for bread from a neighbour. To Christ’s hearers it was obvious that bread would be provided, whatever the inconvenience, under the rules of eastern hospitality. Christ then goes on to describe a child asking his father for an egg, which is given rather than something harmful. When a child asks a parent for an egg, the likely response would be, “how would you like it, scrambled or boiled, with toast or bread?” Christ reminds His listeners that if parents know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will your Father in heaven give to those who ask of Him.
 
What love, what a father we have in Christ, who cares for us, seeks us when we lose our way and treasures us as His children. He came to live amongst us and died to redeem us, and now with his spirit lives amongst us.
 
What a father, what a saviour!

Photo by Nicole Wilcox on Unsplash