HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
She was only four years old and trying very hard to be a good little girl. It was never her intention to disobey ( and anyway no one had ever really told her not to do it ). Now she could no longer escape that nagging little voice in her head that was telling her it was something she simply MUST do!
After all, if she didn’t at least try how would she ever know if she could actually do it?
With great difficulty she managed to climb up onto the ledge. It wasn’t easy with her short little legs but she had lived long enough to know that if she could only hoist one knee high enough to rest on the concrete edge the rest of her would follow.
It felt dizzyingly wonderful to begin crawling along the edge of the cement cistern, which by the way was almost full of water for household use. The huge tank was right beside the basement staircase and back then there weren’t that many safety regulations so in spite of her diminished size it was rather easy to get onto the narrow ledge.
Suddenly my mother’s arms wrapped hard around me and I was swung off of the precarious perch in one swift movement! Then the scolding! Oh, I knew she had every right to land a good whuppin’ on my mini backside but having had my own children I now understand that the relief was too great, and besides she probably thought I had learned my lesson when she described in very graphic terms what would have happened had I fallen in and no one was aware of what was happening! Not grasping the concept of not being able to swim I’m sure it fell on deaf ears. Ears that suddenly perked up when I heard her ask, ‘ Who would have helped you if you fell in?’ Quick as a wink I answered with ‘Paul Bunyan!’ Well of course. Being too young to attend school I was all ears for the fascinating stories my older brothers brought home. And it seemed Paul was the hero of the times, so of course, he would be quite capable of helping me, with his huge size and all!
We went to church and I attended Sunday school and heard all the wonderful works of God and the miracles of Jesus and yet my first thought went to a mere fictional man who would be there to pull me out of trouble.
How often we fall into that trap, even as adults, trusting our own human intelligence or lack thereof; leaning on our superb education or our ability to hold a good job and thereby bring in a good income.
I pray that I will have learned by now that there are no true human heroes that can hold a candle to the goodness of a loving God. When you are in relationship with the God of the universe, you can expect Him to keep every promise He ever made. He will be there for you; His peace, protection and provision is yours freely. IF you are his child! Before you get out on that ledge make sure you know whom you can call on. God is my hero now; Paul Bunyan? Not so much!
Please join me on the way to the party.
After all, if she didn’t at least try how would she ever know if she could actually do it?
With great difficulty she managed to climb up onto the ledge. It wasn’t easy with her short little legs but she had lived long enough to know that if she could only hoist one knee high enough to rest on the concrete edge the rest of her would follow.
It felt dizzyingly wonderful to begin crawling along the edge of the cement cistern, which by the way was almost full of water for household use. The huge tank was right beside the basement staircase and back then there weren’t that many safety regulations so in spite of her diminished size it was rather easy to get onto the narrow ledge.
Suddenly my mother’s arms wrapped hard around me and I was swung off of the precarious perch in one swift movement! Then the scolding! Oh, I knew she had every right to land a good whuppin’ on my mini backside but having had my own children I now understand that the relief was too great, and besides she probably thought I had learned my lesson when she described in very graphic terms what would have happened had I fallen in and no one was aware of what was happening! Not grasping the concept of not being able to swim I’m sure it fell on deaf ears. Ears that suddenly perked up when I heard her ask, ‘ Who would have helped you if you fell in?’ Quick as a wink I answered with ‘Paul Bunyan!’ Well of course. Being too young to attend school I was all ears for the fascinating stories my older brothers brought home. And it seemed Paul was the hero of the times, so of course, he would be quite capable of helping me, with his huge size and all!
We went to church and I attended Sunday school and heard all the wonderful works of God and the miracles of Jesus and yet my first thought went to a mere fictional man who would be there to pull me out of trouble.
How often we fall into that trap, even as adults, trusting our own human intelligence or lack thereof; leaning on our superb education or our ability to hold a good job and thereby bring in a good income.
I pray that I will have learned by now that there are no true human heroes that can hold a candle to the goodness of a loving God. When you are in relationship with the God of the universe, you can expect Him to keep every promise He ever made. He will be there for you; His peace, protection and provision is yours freely. IF you are his child! Before you get out on that ledge make sure you know whom you can call on. God is my hero now; Paul Bunyan? Not so much!
Please join me on the way to the party.
Comments
Post a Comment