A Little Child Shall Lead Them

The familiar knock came on the bedroom door. Someone neeeded to talk. The teary  voice of our youngest answered our query.

When he entered and came to our bedside, we knew big things were on his mind. He has always thought deeply and asked so many out -of the-blue questions about life and philosophy.

"I just think I need to be saved'. There it was out.

My husband and I both had the same thoughts , I knew.

This child is ...just a child.

I know there are many differing ideas about when a child is ready and they all tumbled through my head. He was not the first to come at the this age ,nor was this the first time he had come.

The first time was several months ago. We talked and determined that he was worried by the sermon and just wanted assurance that he would go to heaven. We prayed with him, told him to keep listening to God and he went merrily on his way.

Should we do the same tonight?

We talked. He was very knowledgable about the whole process , who God is and who he is without God.

He told us he had been doing a lot of thinking and reading. He mentioned that overhearing a conversation by older siblings about their concern for his behavior had bothered him. He mentioned the "Ten Commandment" plaque on the wall.

But after talking awhile my husband still felt some hesitation. He agreed to prayer and thinking it over.

His prayer was simple and sweet. "God, I want to hear You and know it's You and I want to know how to go all the way with You."

My husband and I talked seriously after he left. After eight other children you would think this decision would be easier to truly know how best to lead them through but somehow as always with child-training they each one throw their particular little curve into it.

We rolled over to sleep  trusting ourselves and our child to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit's direction and voice.

.....A knock at the door...

"You know, I just really think I need to take care of it now."

There was no denying that certainty.

He added, "It was a weird thing when I was waiting in the hall and coming into the room, I kept hearing the word, 'someday', 'someday'......I think it was the devil...."

Ah, yes, even a child can know.

Again his prayer was simple , though longer than before. He started " Thank you....God, I pray to be a good soldier for you......I'm sorry.....I pray that I can go all the way with you and never give up......"

Yes, Lord!!!

A Little Child...Big questions

His little voice was teary and very serious. He had some very hard questions for Daddy.

At the first hesitant words, Daddy stopped what he was doing at the desk and took him on his lap. He is almost getting too big. His legs dangle on the ground. He is 9.

"Dad, how do you know if you want to be a Christian for the right reason? " His words kinda tumbled and jumbled from there. His thoughts were difficult for him to form.

Paraphrased something like this, "I don't really intentionally do wrong things. But I do wrong things sometimes. Does that mean I will go to hell? I don't want to go to Hell . I want to go to Heaven. But I don't know if being afraid of going to Hell is a reason to be a christian."

Wise little man.

Mommy had stopped on the stairs at the first words and came back to join the conversation somewhere in the middle there. This was going to be an important conversation.

My husband gently , slowly, explained salvation, discipleship, love and fear ,  motivations and convictions with him. Big concepts, are sometimes hard to put into words clearly enough for such important questions in one so young.

It was one of those moments when you know the gravity of your responsibility of training this little one for life, for God , for eternity.

Big questions; Hard questions; Wise questions. Thank you , Lord for your infinitely, gentle, leading of your little ones.

Questions....questions that a lot of us adults need to ponder long and hard ourselves.

Are we a Christian for the right reasons?

...Or Something Like That....

My husband and I were discussing the differences in perspective , attitude, reactions, etc. between man and woman. Or rather I was discussing, he was listening. Or rather I was discussing, I think he was listening. Then we pulled up behind a car with this bumper sticker; " My wife says I never listen to what she says...or something like that." ! Hmm... how timely. We both laughed.
You know there are a lot of differences between how a man and woman relate to any manner of situations. Those differnces can and do cause a lot of frustration, disappointment and hurt in a marriage.
How many of us have asked the question at some time or another, "Why if God intended a man and woman to live in harmony, did he make them so different?  If I am supposed to live in peace with my husband , why are there so many things we are opposites in?"
I have felt the frustration of that question, but as my hubby and I were discussing the other day, it is those very differences that make up a good marriage.
 God created male and female in His own image. Gen. 1 :27 . Gen 2:18 says God saw that it was not good for man to be alone and made him an help suitable for him. Verse 29 of the same chapter says "and they shall be one flesh". It is in the union before God of man and woman that we become a whole creation. Eph 5: 31 gives the same thought.
So why did He make us so different? Not to be an endless frustration to us. Not to tax our christian charity. Not to give fodder for husband and wife jokes. He made us different to complete each other.
 Anything with balance must have differences. It is in our opposites that we together become completely whole. Consider for a moment, if we both were very emotional who would we lean on to be strong and sane? If we both got angry easily, who would calm us down? If we both were pessimistic who would show us the bright side? if we both like to shop who would help us save us money? If we both liked to be on the go, who would stay home and get anything done? If we both were hermits, who would help us make new friends? If we both hated to ask for directions, how would get anywhere? If we both felt discouraged at the same time, who would lift us up? If we both always felt the same about discipline of the children, who  would offer some restraint if we were too harsh or who would give some order if we were too lenient? ....We could go on and on.
We can allow are differences to pull us apart and withdraw into ourselves, or we can recognize God gave me this person because I needed those differences to balance me out. We need their strengths and, yes, we need their weaknesses. Together we make a team, a whole, a complete creation in God.
If we fight it, we break apart. If we bend , we blend. It's that simple! Rejoice in the opposites of husband and wife for that is how God intended it. " And God saw everything He made and behold it was very good" Praise our Father for His wonderful wisdom!!!!