Not in the Room
Biblical Inspiration
Psalm 8:1-2
Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
In the heavens,
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold
against your enemies,
To silence the foe and the avenger.
Real MOMent
Recently, at our family reunion, my youngest daughter shared with a beloved family member, Aunt JM, that she doesn’t think that I believe her when she tells her side of a story especially when it involves her older sister. I told Aunt JM that sometimes I don't know what to believe because I’m not always present when it happens, which means I have to rely completely on the details that each of my daughters share and make my best judgment. Many times, one or both of my daughters are dissatisfied with my ruling. It is one of the unavoidable roles of motherhood and one of my least favorite to play, a referee.
I was grateful that Aunt JM took the time to talk to my youngest daughter and talk with me because motherhood is hard and it takes a village. Afterall, the last thing I want is for my daughter to lose faith that I will believe her when she tells me her side of a story. I prayed and until I fell asleep the conversation consumed my thoughts.
The next day, my husband and I were walking to where the family events were taking place when two family members came up to us. They told us that, in our absence, our youngest daughter volunteered to pray for the family. Shortly after, someone else came to tell us that her prayer stirred their spirit and that she was going to do great things for the world and for the Kingdom. I could feel the tears start to form and thought to myself, did they just say The Kingdom?
Immediately, I started feeling bad when I realized I missed her prayer but, in what felt like the same moment, I was overcome with peace and heard a reassuring voice say…
“You weren’t in the room, but I was.”
MOMent of Clarity
It isn’t humanly possible or realistic for me to be everywhere with my children but God is.
As the start of a new school year begins, maybe this moment was timed to specifically help quiet the anxiousness that fills me when my children are apart from me. I’m not going to be in their classrooms, in the lunch line or there to comfort them if someone says something that may hurt their feelings or if they need a reminder of who they are, but God is.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of the thing we cannot see.” A part of me wishes I would have been present to hear my daughter’s prayer, but there is another part of me that recognizes that she knew exactly Who she was talking to and she didn’t need her mother in the room to encourage her to do it, and that is a victory for the Kingdom!
As my children grow, there will be more and more times when I am not with them; and even if I am not in the room, I have faith in the One who always is.
I want to dedicate this post to Aunt JMB. Your love of the Lord is inspiring. Your wisdom and encouragement is appreciated, and I am so grateful for our conversations. Even if I am not in the room, I will have faith. Thank you for being a #realMom in my village to help me with the #real life of raising Kingdom children. You are always example of our #realChrist and a blessing! With love, A
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