Does Bob Bergdahl Love His Son?

The turmoil over Bowe Bergdahl and all that it entails has captured the news in recent days. At first, most of us were happy to hear of his apparent release. Then there came controversy about the negotiations and release of high level Taliban leaders in exchange. But the whole ordeal has exploded since other questions of Bowe’s apparent desertion and even the possibility that he deserted his company in order to aid their enemy.A lot of uncertainty remains regarding the circumstances of Bergdahl's capture and confinement. I’m not going to try unraveling it or even comment either way.I also know nothing of the politics or worldview of his family or how that may have influenced choices Bergdahl made while in Afghanistan. I may have many disagreements with Bob, Bowe’s father. But one thing we can’t deny, Bob Bergdahl loves his son.When I began to read about the lengths Bob had gone to procure freedom for his son, something else came to mind. For the last half decade, Bob has spent hours each day studying the history of Afghanistan, the formation and beliefs of the Taliban, and even one of the primary languages of Afghan people, Pashto. He said this, "I wake up each morning, and my first thought is my son is still a prisoner of war in Afghanistan, and I need to do something about that."Many of us can sympathize. If one of my children were held captive, I think I would risk everything to bring him back. But then when I read about Bob’s incarnational approach, something that has been highly criticized because he was learning the ways of our country’s enemy, I could not help but note the similarities between that kind of empathetic love and what Jesus did for us.Jesus went into the very lair of the enemy, and became an inhabitant of a world that had switched loyalty to the evil one. Jesus spoke our language, lived life among us and became one of us. Why? So that he could rescue us. It’s what we call, “The Incarnation."That’s the kind of love that God has for you. It’s the uncompromising love of a father. You might disagree with Bob Bergdahl on a lot of things, and I’m sure that I would. But there is no disagreeing with the unconditional love a father has for his son.I’m really glad that’s the kind of love God has for me. It’s the only way I could be acceptable to him. I could never make it to his level. He came to mine and redeemed me.He has done the same for you!