My best friend has been telling me for 10 years “there’s nothing like having grandchildren.”

In those 10 years he has been blessed with four beautiful granddaughters. I see the joy it brings him and his wife.

On April 3 I found out exactly what he meant when our first granddaughter, Emma Clarke Smith, was born.

The love my wife and I have for her is indescribable. She’s absolutely perfect.

I realize a lot of you are grandparents and think your grandchild(ren) are perfect, but please just let me have this moment.

One thing is for sure: we will never be the same.

I know it to be true it also the way it is — never the same — when someone comes to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

I knew from the moment I accepted Christ I would never be the same because of the difference He has made in my life and continues to do so to this day.

So many times we take for granted the love God has for us.

John 15:13 reminds us, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus shows us the greatest love of all by laying down his life for His friend (that’s you and me). You are a friend of God! Is that amazing or what?

Because of what He did many years ago, as we accept Him, we will never be the same.

Having Miss Emma in our lives reminds me so much of the attributes of our heavenly Father we depend on every day of our lives.

She cannot do anything on her own at all. She has to depend on someone for everything. She depends on someone to feed her, bathe her and change her diaper.

Think about it. Don’t we depend on the Lord for our food (at least the money to provide our food)? What about the messes we get ourselves into and cannot get ourself out of?

Just like Emma has to depend to someone to change her diaper, we depend on the Lord to clean up our messes.

Emma loves it when Gran (my wife, Angela) gives her a bath. She laughs and enjoys it. She gets the bath, is clean and has clean clothes.

It reminds me of the prodigal son, how he wallowed in his mess then realized things are better in his father’s house. When he gets home, his dad doesn’t scold him, rebuke him or disown him. He brings him in the house and puts new clothes on him.

The son was depending on his father to meet his need just like Emma is dependent on Gran to meet her need of a new outfit for the day.

My friend is right. There’s nothing like having grandchildren.

While we watch Miss Emma grow, we are anticipating our second grandchild around March 1 next year. God is good.

While having grandchildren is so great, knowing the love Jesus has for us (and He certainly proved it by going to the cross and sacrificing Himself for us) is so much greater.

Because of Jesus Christ, I will never be the same.

The Rev. Michael Smith is the executive pastor of Church of the Living God, located at 114 Franklin Ave. He can be reached at 859-745-1865 or at pastormike@wincitycolg.com.