Cheek to Cheek

“I led them with bands of human kindness, with cords of love. I treated them like those who lift infants to their cheeks; I bent down to them and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4)

Barkley was crying. He had been so fussy all morning. My girlfriend scooped him up, out of my arms and started to soothe him. She pressed his cheek into hers and looked at me, grinning. “See this,” she pointed knowingly at his face. “I used to do this with all my babies. I’d press their cheek against mine to calm them down.”

I gasped. That morning I had been meditating on this verse in Hosea, “I led them with bands of human kindness, with cords of love.

I treated them like those who lift infants to their cheeks; I bent down to them and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4)

Once again, God uses a parent-child metaphor to describe his love. Specifically, a child and his mother. This time He is describing his love for the Israelites, who continually disobeyed him. Yet, His love is so great that he describes himself as one, “…who lifts infants to their cheeks.”

May you be quieted by his love today. May your whining be halted and your tears cease. Your striving become rest. Your jealousy be relinquished. May your tears be wiped, as your Heavenly Father picks you up and presses his face into yours. His cheek to your cheek. For you have been – and will be – securely embraced, cherished, and loved.

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