Most of you know that I take care of a 9-month old baby, Ethan. I’ve been babysitting him for nearly seven months & it’s been quite the journey. (Side note: I applaud any parent…! The selflessness you show is admirable & simply amazing. I don’t know how you do it 24/7!) Every day is different, there’s never a day where I can predict how it will turn out. But, I’ve loved it nonetheless. :) I’ve learned so much about myself: patience, strength, compassion, etc. I’ve learned a lot about children in general. And somehow between the responsibilities of watching a young infant, God still speaks to me!
Sometimes when he is crying - after I’ve done all that I could do to help him & he is still crying - I put him on his mother’s tempurpedic bed. It’s *super* soft & usually calms him down. We just lay there. But recently, he has learned how to crawl.. fast! His view on adventure is wide, he thinks he can go anywhere, discover areas of the house he shouldn’t.
So, as we lay there over 3-ft off the ground, Ethan is determined to crawl all the way to the side of the bed (not knowing he can fall off & hurt himself). As I watch him, I do everything in my power to ensure that he’s safe, even if it’s against his will. He cries, pushes, & attempts to get out of my hands. But, ultimately, I’m stronger than he & soon enough, he gets tired from trying.
…& that’s when I hear God.
“You see, you’re so little, so small. You can’t see what I see, nor know what I know. You want to go the edge, risk the fall, but I love you so much that I can’t let you do that. I will do everything in my power to protect you. You don’t know how much it will hurt if you do things your way, but I do. I’m so much bigger. My thinking is too vast for yours. Please stop fighting against me to get your way. You won’t win. Stay here with me, lay with me, & you will find rest.”
Sometimes when we can’t figure out God’s plans for our lives, we get restless. We want to discover life on our own, fall off the path of our predestined journeys. But, God’s thoughts are too majestic for our small child-like thinking. His plans are greater. His ways are mightier. His love is everlasting. We must understand that God loves us as His chosen children. That we are precious, just as Ethan is precious to me. That no matter how much Ethan thinks he knows better, I would do anything to make sure nothing bad happens to him. God loves us that way, but even more so. I can’t imagine a love greater than that.
Lie in safety with Him in his bed of Grace. When we stop working out our own lives, God starts to work for us. Let his arms comfort you when all you need is rest.
