I don't know if it was the full moon, or the getting over a cold, or the being stuck in the house because of the cold wind or if it was just a bad day, but one of the kids had a rough afternoon yesterday. He/she just couldn't be good. He/she couldn't sit on a chair to calm down - the chair would just scoot all over the floor. He/she couldn't just sit on my lap to calm down - the wiggles were just too much to contain. He/she couldn't be nice to his/her sister and on and on. So the warning was given at 4:30 - "Go, get your pajamas on..." and the reply was "NO!!!" Uh - oh, now he/she was really in trouble... By the time the pajamas were finally on, and with plenty of warning, the guilty party was sentenced to an evening in his/her room, including supper. There were a lot of tears and grumpiness and meanness coming out of this normally very sweet child. But, he/she finally settled down, was sorry, had supper alone in his/her room and spent the evening with some library books.
This morning, sunshine has returned to the child. It is as if yesterday had never happened. For both of us. The smiles and giggles and obedience have returned.
I love the picture it gave me of God's kindness and mercy and of the peek He gave me into the way He feels about His children. The way none of the behavior (and believe me, there was plenty of it) didn't turn my love away from the child. No, I didn't like it and wouldn't put up with it, but I still loved him/her just as much as always. I love the way, this morning, the child was in no way uncomfortable with me. There are hugs and snuggles and I love yous just like normal. It's as if it had never happened. What a wonderful thing to think of God "Casting our sin into the depths of the sea." Can we, after we have turned to God in repentance of our sin, forget it as if had never happened - trusting in His forgiveness? We do have to bear some of the results of our sin, of course, but we don't have to hang on to the guilt.
I love what we can learn from a child.
I love the picture it gave me of God's kindness and mercy and of the peek He gave me into the way He feels about His children. The way none of the behavior (and believe me, there was plenty of it) didn't turn my love away from the child. No, I didn't like it and wouldn't put up with it, but I still loved him/her just as much as always. I love the way, this morning, the child was in no way uncomfortable with me. There are hugs and snuggles and I love yous just like normal. It's as if it had never happened. What a wonderful thing to think of God "Casting our sin into the depths of the sea." Can we, after we have turned to God in repentance of our sin, forget it as if had never happened - trusting in His forgiveness? We do have to bear some of the results of our sin, of course, but we don't have to hang on to the guilt.
I love what we can learn from a child.
Thank you for sharing this. We have so much to be thankful for with our Father's love, thankful He doesn't just give up on us, but continues to work with us and lead us into His will. When our Father forgives us, why is it so hard for us to forgive ourselves sometimes?
ReplyDeleteThank you. I needed this.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that when God forgives us -
ReplyDeletehe forgives us and we don' have to carry guilt.
Ernestine
I have noticed this as well with my kids! These times when they "test" us, they are actually asking us to "please love me enough to do something about this" Then they know you love them and care about them and there is a greater love returned from them. I do think we learn SO much from our children!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! It is so good to be reminded of who and what it was, that brought that true love and complete forgiveness to us! With a kind and loving Father and a perfect elder brother, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank you for the reminder...God works in mysterious ways!
ReplyDelete