Recently, my father-in-law, Chini (pronounced CHEE-NEE), picked up my precious four-year-old nephew from pre-school. The teacher explained to Chini that she had given my little nephew a note to give to his mother. Apparently, the little guy and she had a minor disagreement, and it was important for the parents to know.
However, when Chini and he arrived home later that morning, my father-in-law saw him take the note, waddle it up, and throw it away in the garbage. I thought it was so funny but of course, the note was retrieved and it was very patiently and kindly explained to Mr. Danny that actions have consequences. This is innocence at its finest. All one has to do to avoid consequences is throw away the evidence.
If only it were that simple. But why do you suppose Danny threw it out in the first place? The same reason Rayray hid a speeding ticket from me once.
In her case, she was so overwrought with agony that she did something foolish. (This was eight years ago, so I am allowed to share.) She had been staying the night at a friend’s house, and they were on their way back from who knows where, and she was pulled over and given the citation. By the time they got back to her friend’s house, Rayray was near hysteria, and her friend’s mom, in an effort to calm Miss Rayray down, offered to pay the ticket. Case closed!
Except that a few days later I started receiving a bunch of advertisement for ticket lawyers and traffic clinics, and my spidey sense started tingling. I flat out asked her about it and she confessed THE WHOLE UGLY TRUTH.
I called the other mom and kept my composure as I politely explained that it was a big NO-NO to rescue other people’s children without authorization. I also sent her a check to cover the cost of the ticket.
However, you know what upset me more than anything else? It was not that Rayray got the ticket. It was not that she made a poor choice in allowing the other mom to help her out. It was in thinking I would be so catastrophically upset that she had no other choice but to freak out. Jesus, have mercy! I have been such a calm and easy going mother. I asked her when in the history of our mother/daughter relationship had I ever lost my cool, threatened to kill her, or otherwise gotten so royally upset that it caused her to be afraid? The response was a quiet little "never."
That’s right, people, never. And yet, my little Rayray, just like my little nephew, tried to hide the evidence for fear of what those in charge might do. What a difference it would have made if Rayray had come to me, crawled into my lap, and talked it over while I stroked her curly hair. So much additional drama could have been avoided.
Have you ever been there and felt that way? Have you ever avoided talking to God, perhaps, for fear that He would be angry or upset with you? Nothing could be further from the truth. God is not mad at any of us. Maybe a little frustrated because He has so much good to offer that we constantly bypass on, but mad? Disappointed? Angry? Nope. On the contrary. God is madly in love with us and eager to give us the guidance, forgiveness, peace, joy, and protection we all need. If there is something holding us back in our relationship with Him, it’s not on His end. He’s all in all the time waiting for us to give Him a shout out. Always keep the verse above close to your heart. Nothing you have ever done or will do, not even the powers of hell, can stop God from loving you.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that nothing can stop Your love for us. Help us to get this into our souls. We never want to run from You when we need You so much. This verse assures us that running to You is always the right response. You will love us through it all. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~
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