If you were a parent, what would be the highlight of your week?
Would it be your greatest joy to see your child eat all their greens, or to treat them to a hot chocolate and spend time with them doing their favourite things?
Would conversations be a highlight when they’re talking with long clever words or when they are excitedly recounting story after story about their day and their world?
Would you delight most in seeing that they are the most intelligent and talented among all their peers, or in seeing each new thing they've learnt?
Would it be a highlight when they are worrying about trying to please you or when they are confident enough in your love to ask again if you delight in them and believe in them?
A pastor once told me the story of his highlight of the week:
Every Saturday whenever he could he would wander into town with his two young daughters and take them for hot chocolate. His favourite moment of the week was getting to spend time with his daughters – seeing them get chocolate all round their faces, giggle with each-other and enjoy being together.
He loved it because they loved it.
He loved it because he could spend time with them, get to know them better and enjoy being around them; his own precious children. Simple, and so obvious.
And yet it totally struck me.
Why is it, that when we have the most loving heavenly Father that it is possible to have, we assume that He only likes seeing us achieve, be the best, try harder, use long words and wise reasoning, get everything right and make the most sensible decisions?
He is our Father.
He loves the things we love, he loves to help us learn new things, to see us enjoy each-other and enjoy doing our favourite things.
He likes to spend time with us.
He delights in hearing all about our day, seeing what we've learnt or created, and it pleases him no end that we can ask over and over "do you love me?", "do you really delight in me, really think I’ve got what it takes?"
Don’t get me wrong - achievements are amazing, giving life your best is well worth doing and discipline can really help us find more of God.
But sometimes – or far too often – we can forget the love of the incredible God we are doing it all for. The God that we are invited to know. The God who has been fighting for us and battling that we might know His love since the very beginning.
So, when is your next hot chocolate date with your heavenly Father?
What is your favourite thing to do, your favourite place to be? Do it with Him and see what He teaches you of His uncomfortably extravagant, every-day love.
