Psalm 121:3-4 ESV
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
There is something so reassuring about realizing that God the Spirit is always with you. You are never alone. He NEVER sleeps. He is with you wherever you are. Not just on Sunday mornings. Not just during a storm or trial or crisis. Not just in the miracle of birth or adoption or healing. He is with you every moment of every day and longs to be in dialogue with you. If only we thought about his presence more. Not only would it alter our behavior and words ("how would you act if Jesus were sitting there in the dark with you?") but it would radically alter our relationship with him.
The other day Bundle Boy asked me an interesting question.
Him: Mom, is "bum, bum, underwear" pleasing to God?
Me: (puzzled look on my face)
Him: It is the song [my friend] made up and sang the other day. Do you think it pleases God if I sing it too?
Me: What do you think?
Him: (shrugging his shoulders) I dunno.
That is when it hit me. (insert "duh" moment from everyone else wondering why it took me so long) My son looks to me to tell him how to live his life in a way that pleases God. He sees me as the interpreter of all things that bring God glory. Somehow he lost (or never developed) the concept that he could seek God directly if he ever wanted to know anything. Apparently I was the judge of all things holy in his mind.
It got me thinking. The only way that our children are going to learn at a young age to seek God's face is if we are doing it all the time. If I am in dialogue with the Father in the little things. Do I live in a way that acknowledges that God is always with me? Am I telling my son "You can talk to God anytime" and then just praying with him at set times of day (ie. before meals, at bedtime, when there is a physical need)? I want my kids to understand that God is omnipresent. That He is just waiting to hear us talk to him at any moment. Oh how I have neglected the Spirit in my life! I have decided to change that and become a Babbling Prayer Mama. What's that? There isn't such a thing? Well I have created one. I am going to try talking to God out loud more often. I want my kids to hear me singing praise and speaking thanks. I want them to know that I seek God for strength and focus and discipline. That I need help from the Holy Spirit on a minute by minute basis to be self-controlled and live in a way that pleases God and brings him glory. Heck, I have no idea if "bum, bum, underwear" makes God smile. But if Brother learns to ask him before saying and doing anything in this life, the Holy Spirit will give him a clearer answer. God is the one our children should be living for anyway.
I couldn't help but notice the two verses that came before the ones I shared above.
Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Isn't God amazing?!?!
2 comments:
LOVE this, fabulous reminder.
How wonderful!!
I have "prayed" out loud often when I thank God for things....
Praise the Lord for a place to park close. Praise God for legs that work to walk so far from our parking spot.
God, please help me find my keys because we are late (while looking franticly). Thank you God, I found my keys!
It is awesome when I hear my kiddos do the same thing. Modeled behavior is amazing (it can be good or bad). Keep modeling your life, out loud, and they will follow!
Love you.
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