As I Saw My Son God Sees Me

This is a picture of my younger son Drew and I back in the summer of 2001 at Trail West Young Life camp. Drew was a healthy little fella in this picture, but just a little over a year and half before we almost lost him. He was born on December 2, 1999, and soon had breathing issues. It turned out Drew had off-the-chart acid reflux, and the acid was scarring and causing swelling in his esophagus. The poor little guy was having trouble breathing. We took him to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City where he had surgery. We were supposed to be in and out in a couple of days, but some complications occurred and he ended up having to have major surgery to repair holes in his small intestine where steroid treatments to reduce his swelling burnt through. 

I remember the near month my wife and I spent by his side in ICU and in different rooms. For a time he was hooked up to all kinds of wires. One particular night while Jodi tried to sleep in our little window sill we made up as a sorta bed, I gently picked up Drew and held him in my arms. The glow from the machines with wires hooked to my son reflected off his eyes. His eyes were so huge, and they stared at me while I held him. Those eyes blazed deep into my heart. My little man had endured so much, and his eyes looked at me with such trust and contentment. In that moment penetrating words came to me. "As your son is to you, so you are to Me."

God spoke tender words to me in that moment. Tired, worried, heartsick. In that moment I was being held as tenderly as I was holding my own son. Though my wife and I experienced many dark, scary and painful moments that month in the hospital with our son, I will never forget that moment. God reminded me that He will always be my Father, and will carry me through the darkest trials. 

As my son trusted me that night, I trust Him. And I am thankful.