Daughters and Children

Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."....But her took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Luke 8:48,54

These days, when I get up in the morning, it is dark and foreboding outside, with a chill gathering around, refusing to burn off. I love the fall, and the coming of the winter, but the times are still dark, and there is anxiety in the air. This time of year, I miss my daughters the most. All three of them are grown up, splendid human beings and they make me very proud. But I miss raking leaves so that we can all jump in them, hot cider and playing games in the chilly air. I miss picking apples with them and sneaking bites of apples in the fields as we pick. Although they are no longer children, I know they too miss doing these things together. So the seasons change, and rightly so, but it is hard to let children grow up and move away so that they can shine in their own right.

Jesus encounters two women in very different stages in their lives, both in need of great healing. He chooses to address them both directly, seeking out the one who touched him, pushing parents back from the brink, and speaking directly to the suffering girl. One young, one old, but he completely present to both. As with any family, even when there is physical distance, there is an intimacy and a strong connection. He calls them daughter, child. He reminds them that they are known, loved and that their healing is already complete. Each is asked to respond and claim it, for God has done the work of mending already. Daughter and child, they will always be, no matter how far they feel removed from God. The intimacy and love is present, even at at distance.

So today, I want to rejoice in this season of change. I want to give thanks for the thousands of hours we spent as a family together in the leaves. I want to rejoice in the promise that God has set before me. Intimacy and love are always present, even when the ones we love aren't in an arms' reach. I want to make sure that I tell them today how much they have blessed my life, and how wonderful they are. May we all have the courage to give thanks for the healing that has already begun, and the mending that has already taken place. And may we all remember that God's love for us is as parent to child. God's love is aching for us when we are at a distance, and is bringing healing before we can even ask for or acknowledge the need.