1 John 3:1a “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God …”

God is not a God of favorites! There is never a time you should feel forgotten or left out. Our heavenly Father’s tenderness, compassion, kindness and time for you are limitless. He sees your every move and He always cares. Do not fear you will get lost in a crowd of people or even amongst other believers. For in the family of God there are no middle children!

This week Facebook resurrected an old picture of you children. I took it about 10 years ago and you are standing in age order at Grandma’s pool. I posted it way back then with a special purpose in mind. John-Keith, number three child, had gotten on a kick about how the middle children are always forgotten and lost in the crowd. After hearing the complaint over and over (said in jest, I am sure) I decided to create a new holiday – Middle Children Day! So I took the picture, drew a circle around John-Keith, and posted it in honor of our middle child. We have remembered this celebration year after year thanks to Facebook.

Hopefully, each of you knows how much you are loved despite where you fall in the birth order. But it is true that when more children enter a family things change. A first child is the only one and receives the benefit of everyone’s attention. As more arrive there is more love to give, but time needs to be shared in a way that wasn’t necessary when there was just one.

But waiting in line for attention or taking turns to talk to your heavenly Father privately is not an issue when it comes to the family of God. The Lord is everywhere at once, limitless in His abilities, inexhaustible in His patience, infinite in His love, boundless in His wisdom, and immeasurable in His understanding. He is always available for each of His children – any time, any place and in every way!

Dad and I celebrate each of you children (and now grandchildren) every day, and once a year Facebook will remind us that despite birth order you are all loved! But when it comes to your heavenly family where there are hundreds of thousands of children you never need to fear you will get lost in the crowd. The fantastic news is that your heavenly Father has all the time in the world for each individual. He is not a God of favorites. And in the family of God there are no middle children! — Love, Mama