A hug from the Father

When Matthew first moved in with us from Ethiopia about 5months ago, he was affectionate.  But asis sometimes the case with adopted children, his insecurities and fears beganto keep him from hugging me.  He wouldallow hugs from other family members, but despite our positive relationship,he began to show resistance to me, his new father.

Even though I did not take this personally, and evenunderstood why he was doing it, I did not give up trying.  I would go into his room when he was about togo to sleep, and give him the chance to get a hug.  Or when I left the house in the morning forwork, I would often ask, “hug?”  He wouldshake his head, no, and pull a blanket over himself.

But just as I thought would happen, over the past few weeks,he began allowing hugs from me.  Itstarted slowly, and grew from there. Recently, he began to not only allow for my hugs, but ask for them.  At first, I would hug him with sometenuousness.  I did not want to push himaway.  The other night, I only hugged himwith one arm.  He was going to bed and Iput one arm around him and gave him a squeeze. He surprised me.  He looked up atme quizzically and said in his broken English, “Only one arm?”  I hugged him with two arms, and he reciprocated.

When God the Father adopts us into his family, we sometimesstruggle to let him “hug” us—to allow him to show us his deep love andaffection.  I know in my life, I cansometimes push him away and not allow myself to experience his overwhelming andunconditional favor.  Sometimes it’sbecause we feel unworthy.  It’s becauseof our insecurities and fears, or maybe because of our lack of faith.  But as we grow in him, we begin to let him “hug”us—a little at a time.  We may even workup to a “one-armed hug.”  And in time that is not enough.  We become aware ofhis loving embrace and presence in our lives—all the time.

Realize that just because you may be holding God at bay,doesn’t mean that he is not in your room every night looking for a “hug.”  The Bible says that he is faithful, even whenwe are not.  He may be standing in yourroom right now, looking at you, longing to express his love to you in sometangible way.  

Will you accept it?