Lord Byron was a famous poet of the 19th century and still regarded as one of the greatest British poets who ever lived. Aside from his poetry, he is also known for his daughter, Ada Lovelace who was a gifted mathematician and considered the first computer programmer. But the poet also had another daughter. Her name was Allegra. She was born in the winter of 1817.
Lord Byron showed little to no care for Allegra since the day she was born. Not wanting to be bothered with the responsibility of raising her, he sent her to a convent when she was barely three years old. He abandoned his daughter entirely and never wrote to her. Allegra with the help of the Abbess at the convent wrote a letter to her father saying,
“My dear Papa – it being fair time I should so much like a visit from my Papa as I have many desires to satisfy; will you please your Allegra who loves you so?”
Lord Byron never replied his daughter’s letter and never came to visit her. Not even once. He prevented Allegra from seeing her mother by sending Allegra to a more distant convent to live in.
In the spring of 1822, Allegra fell sick and died. She was five years old and left this world abandoned and deprived of a father’s care and love.
John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous biblical verse as it clearly outlines in a single stroke, the magnitude of God’s fatherly love towards us. And we know that God loves us because he has demonstrated it and thus provided the ultimate evidence.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate evidence of God’s love towards humanity.
The bible makes it clear, God is our father, we are his children, and he loves us. And because he loves us, he desires that we come to him. To come to him means we believe in him, to believe in him means we accept Jesus Christ, who is the evidence of God’s love towards us.
Many fathers exist on earth who abandon and neglect their children. Unable to provide an environment of care, security, guidance, and love, they fail in their role as fathers. This is evidence of sinful nature because such fathers are selfish, self-absorbed, and only care about themselves. As a result they are unwilling to make sacrifices for anyone else even their own children.
Thankfully, we have an ultimate father in God, who never abandons his children. Instead, he provided the ultimate sacrifice so that his children may attain the ultimate goal. Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate goal is for God’s children to inherit his kingdom. Luke chapter 12 verse 32 reminds us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”