Adored by His Actions
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
My fourth prescheduled C-section was anticipated and going according to plan. When “surprise, you’re in labor so get your husband here now” rolled off my doctor’s tongue, a week early! Nothing that weekend went according to our expectations.
Before I got to hold my only daughter, she was carted into the Special Care nursery, our hospital’s version of a NICU. She couldn’t breathe on her own. As they attempted all sorts of breathing apparatuses to help her heal, it was clear her surprise beginning would continue to chart an unfamiliar course.
During the hospital stay, we would stare at a blank wall in our room instead of seeing her beautiful face. During the first visit with her big brothers, they would meet her through a glass window instead of grasping her in their arms. During the discharge, we would walk out holding each other’s hand while leaving hers behind. Her lungs needed time to heal and so my husband and I had to say “till tomorrow” and leave the hospital without a precious piece of our soul.
The details of our journey are too vast to explore now, but I learned a vital lesson about the heart of God.
God puts his love into action.
He shows his love through planning, protecting, and providing. Through family and friends that served as cooks, housekeepers, chauffer’s, babysitters, prayer warriors, encouragement givers, and caretakers, God delighted to display his love. He knew what was about to happen to our pretty girl, and had a plan to show his protection and provision through our hardship.
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Ps. 37:23-24).
Picture it. The Father God gazing into your eyes, gently holding you by the hand, graciously guiding you down a good path. He doesn’t command your steps; he directs them. He isn’t irritated with your details; he delights in them. He isn’t absent when you stumble; he catches you before you fall.
That dream? He knows. That concern? He carries. That issue? He’s solved. That help? He provides.
That roadblock? He’s overcome.
The Father delights in every detail of our lives. He purposes a plan, protects our pathway, and places us on our feet when we stumble. When we recognize his love in action, we can more deeply experience his adoration.
Dad, help us deal with our disappointments so they don’t dampen our experience of your delight. Heal the holes in our hearts so your love won’t leak out. May we see your love in action in our lives and feel the adoration you are trying to show. Love, Your Daughters.