“You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention…” (Nehemiah 9:29-30)
If you follow our blog, you already know that our five year-old is a willful child. This gives me lots of opportunity for reflection about how God views His children’s self-will, whether it is occasional or stubbornly persistent.
Many of our daily training times have been spent discussing and practicing what the children should do if they ever find themselves lost from Mom or Dad in a public place—particularly Wal-Mart, since that’s usually where we end up shopping. Of course, they know it’s important to stick close to their parents and follow any directions they are given. But if we should become separated, I encourage them to be self-controlled (i.e., not stand there sobbing or screaming when they realize they are lost). They’ve been taught that they should yell once or twice for Mom or Dad, then check their immediate surroundings, waiting for several minutes in the last location where they were with an adult. Then, they should make their way to the front of the store (Customer Service or a cashier), telling someone in the tell-tale blue vest that they’ve been separated from their Mom or Dad. There’s a lot more to the drill, but those are the basics.
I always pray that my children will not need this information, but I also know the importance of preparedness. And it came in handy a couple of weeks ago when I was shopping with our seven children at Wal-Mart. My 5-year old (the “willful” one I’ve introduced) was having a hard time walking beside the carriage as she’s been taught. She repeatedly wandered short ways away to look at merchandise of interest or to grab things for the cart in an attempt to be helpful. I reminded her several times of the need to stay close, but she was persistent to the point of seeming annoyed at my over-concern.
The cereal aisle posed a great temptation, as all of the children suddenly felt the need to offer their input as to which brand and type of cereal we should purchase this week. This daughter raced ahead, pointing out several things that she would like. Of course I asked her to stay near, and she did seem to be coming back toward the cart. At that point the two year-old started whining for water (a tell-tale sign that he was becoming tired of shopping) and the boys started arguing over the merits of one particular cereal over another, so I deemed it best to grab any old box and move on. Instead of going to the next aisle, we went straight to the back of the store, to the dairy case.
As usual, after making the transition I started counting heads.
1..2..3…4….5…..6……and again…. .
Just as it began to dawn on me that someone was missing (but not yet registering which one), my quietly tearful 5-year-old raced up to the cart and held on to it with all her might, as I’d repeatedly been reminding her to do throughout this particular shopping trip. I casually asked, “You got lost from Mommy, didn’t you?” She could only nod. We were both glad to be reunited, and though it had only been a matter of minutes, it was enough. I resisted the impulse to make some sort of “I told you so” comment, since she seemed to already get it.
The other day when we returned to Wal-Mart, as we went down our first aisle, she clung to the side of the cart and whispered solemnly, “I remember what you told us during training time.”
Which served to remind me of how sometimes, despite our “training” in God’s Word, we think we know better than God. We want to find our own way, do our own thing. And whether to teach us or simply because of the distance we’ve put between ourselves and God with our willfulness, we become separated from our loving Father. If we’re fortunate, it’s not for long, and we’ll quickly trace our way back. However, the separation may be just long enough for us to re-gain a healthy fear and a respect for God’s truth, and to re-affirm our need (and desire) to walk in obedience.
Where are you in your walk with God today: closely connected in obedience, or stubbornly wandering and experiencing the discipline that will once again draw you closer?
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)
Blessing
s,
Cindy Carrier
www.ValuesDrivenFamily.com
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good reminder…
Great lesson for us all! Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful example and reminder! Thank you for sharing…