One of my grandsons is driving his mother crazy. He is the ultimate planner. He has to know what is going to happen next. He may be in the middle of kicking the soccer ball with his brother until suddenly he stops and runs to his Mom,
“What are we doing after this Mommy?”
Or she may have planned a special rainy day afternoon of cookie baking and decorating and he’s fine for about 2 minutes until, you guessed it,
“What will we do next Mommy?” or “You’re not going anywhere are you Mommy?” It doesn’t matter if she’s exhausted herself trying to prepare fun things for this toddler. No matter what he is doing at any moment, he’s concerned about the future.
She’d like to burst out with, “Why oh why can’t you just enjoy the moment? I’ve worked so hard to please you!”
Ok he’s a typical toddler-perhaps a little insecure about what is coming next and wondering if His mommy will be there. His leadership gifts are growing faster than his emotional ability to handle them and he wants the plan so he can determine if it’s a good one.
As I observe my challenging grandson and His sweet understanding, patient mother, I see clearly how much I am like my grandson in my relationship with God. I too want to know what’s next. I want to know how things will turn out. I want to know if the “next” will please me. And perhaps in my immaturity, what I’m really wondering is, will God be there for me? How sad it must make my heavenly Father to watch this. He must long for me to embellish the moment, to rejoice in the now, to leave the future in His hands, and to trust that His plan is good.
Most of all my heavenly Father (and yours) longs for me to really believe in the depths of my being that He will always be there for me.
Moses reminded Joshua, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8). The writer to the Hebrews felt this was so important he restated it, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b) We can be confident of this promise.
Thank you my grandson, for reminding me to live in the moment and enjoy it to the fullest – leaving the future in God’s hands, knowing He will never leave me.
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