My day at school today was quite interesting. I ended up spending most of my afternoon in the office with different students while they were solving out problems between each other. One of the situations that I sat in on, had to do with two of the students from the homeroom class that I am in charge of during the year. They had, had some sort of fight and in consequence, they ended up in the office.

So, as I sat in the office, listening to them try to sort out their problem, I couldn't keep from wondering if they would still end up getting a spanking for what they had done. ( yes, we spank in our highschool still.... ha.). As it turned out, they were asked if they would  like to get disciplined. They both said yes, so, as the first student got their spanking, I stood off to the side with the other one. As we stood there, she began to cry. As I watched her crying, I didn't really pay too much attention to what was going on inside of her. I was standing there thinking that she was probably crying more about the fact that she was going to get a spanking, then because of the fact of what had all happened.

But, as her turn came, and I stood there as  I watched the prinicple pray for her. Her crying became louder, and as soon as the paddle hit her, her crying began to turn into weeping, and all of the sudden she fell down  on her on knees. As I stood behind her watching her fall to her knees and cry, I began to feel like crying to. She was on the floor, saying over and over again how sorry she was, and saying how much she wanted to change.

During those few moments, I saw repentence, true repentene come from her heart. So many times there are problems that happen with my students that kind of just get resolved and everyone says sorry, and that's the end of it. But today, as I was in the office watching this girl cry down on her hands and knees, asking for forgiveness, my heart was moved. 

In those few moments, I felt and saw a glimpse of how God must feel when He watches me sin. When He sees me do things that are wrong, when I hurt other people, when I say things that aren't right among other things. His heart is saddened because of my sin, and He feels my pain. But what I also felt in those few moments, was the forgivness that He gives when we truly repent. He doesn't just stand there and watch us cry and repent before Him and let it be. No, He draws near to us, and tenderly holds us in His arms and gently whispers that " All is forgiven" and that there is no condemnation. What a gift! So undeserved, yet, so freely given.

 Something that can only come from, a  Father's heart, and a Father's tender love.