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Just an encouraging reminder that our kids have brains that can easily memorize, when that function is called upon. Will you take the time to learn scripture with your children this week?

 

I’m offering a FREE COPY of my book for your iPad, iPod Touch, or other iBook reader software! The first person to have their child (ages 0-5) recite a scripture, and post a link to the video on here WINS! Tell your friends!! 🙂

(even after someone does this….I double dog dare you to still post a video of your child!!)

    As she runs to me, I can literally “hear” the smile and joy on her face.  A few steps from me, she will jump at me with a statement of 100% trust that daddy will catch her.  I’ll grab her with both arms, swing her around a bit against my chest, and tell her I love her.  At the same time, I’ll brush my chin stubble slightly against her neck and make her giggle and squirm, until she runs away.  Most likely, the scene will repeat itself a few times.
She is two years old, and daddy is home. 🙂

Fast forward about 6 hours.  All is quiet, and we’ve just settle into our evening.  Whether it’s a movie, or reading time, or just talking about the day and week we find ourselves swimming through.  All of a sudden, we notice that we’re not alone.  Quietly watching from the shadows of the adjacent office, glowing in the dim light that escapes into an unlit room, is the face of a child.

It could be any of the three, on any given night.  Not guaranteed to happen every night, but once in a while it occurs.  I confess that my first thought is not to be a loving father.  It’s usually more along the lines of a zoo-keeper who’s monkey has been found roaming the premises. 🙂

But as it happened the other night, it struck me with a powerful reminder: My kids need me.  It’s not something in particular they want me to do.  Nothing I’m required to fix, say, or pay for.  It’s simply my presence they desire.  A natural hunger and thirst to be close to their parents.

That won’t always be the case.  They will grow up, and with time will come independence.  There will probably even come times where they want to be as far away from mom and dad as possible.  Of course, we won’t allow that, right? 🙂  So as I held my daughter close, and carried her slowly up the stairs back to her room…I savored the walk.  I laid her down, and kissed her good night.

As always, it translates brilliantly and painfully into our relationship with Christ.  In our most natural and child-like moments, we recognize our need for God.  Not for His action or blessing, but simply His presence with us.  To draw close to Him, our Creator and Father…for comfort.  As we walk through life, there are times where we forget that need.  We become self-sufficient and sustaining…always looking to finances, “highs” of all sorts, and other areas to quiet our withdrawal.  Thankfully nothing will satisfy.  Nothing but the presence and communion with God together as we were created for.

How will we respond to that truth this week?  Imagine God entering the front door of your house:  You’re 2 years old, and daddy is home. 🙂

It was just another day in the house on the table.  Quite a move was made that morning, as the entire home was picked up in a giant tornado, and placed gently on the smooth wooden surface.  Abu, in true form, spent his time calming down Barbie, who was still quite a bit shaken up.  In fact, Gretel was so upset, she needed to be held a few minutes by Sophie before she could be placed back in her room.

I remember when I was in elementary school, playing Ninja Turtles all over the playground.  There was a giant tree with roots sticking out of the ground, and that became their “lair”, where all the best plans would be put together.  Then the show would start, and the team of four would kick crime’s butt until the bell rang.  It. Was. Awesome.  When I was young, imagination came not only naturally; it came as a necessity.  But as I grew, as a hundred popular movies will illustrate, my ability to imagine became more and more dim.  Reality ruled.

It would be really easy at this point to go down the familiar road of how sad that is.  How even grown men need to have the imagination of the boys they once were.  How it’s a magical force, and it would include some either dreamy-tripped out experience, or actual blast from the past to reinforce the lesson.

But what if we need our imaginations to be active and strong for larger purposes?

Not that God is going to give us a cosmic set of action figures, and expect us to “play nice”.  But it seems the characteristics of God lead us to a place where our imaginations could be vital to experiencing Him.

The word “imagine” comes from the Latin word “imaginari” meaning “to form a mental picture of something”.  Another definition is “to see or hear something that does not exist” (I would add the word “yet” here also.)  Long ago, God made a covenant with Abraham that has been/is still being fulfilled.  God made a new covenant with all of creation through Jesus Christ, that is continuing until completion.  We cannot see God’s hand physically moving in our world.  We cannot see pictures of “New Creation” the way God will bring to reality.  We are surrounded by a humanity that is broken, and a world that is crumbling without the image of God being carried throughout as it was designed.

In the midst of all of this, we need a bit of “Holy Imagining”.  People who will think, love, act, and speak prophetically as citizens of the Kingdom that is, and is to come.  Transformed hearts and minds that are brought to life by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the firstborn of a new way of life that is coming.  We need people who will relate to others, and respond within life not according to how things were, how they are, or even an “optimistic view” of what could be.  But rather, who will respond to life according to how God is transforming all things, and will indeed “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5)

So when our kids tug on our shirts, begging us to play with them, let’s jump in with vigor.  As our imaginations shake off their dust, stretch out a bit, and become stronger – perhaps God will continue to give us a vision and a Life sourced not in what is – but what will be…(cue sappy Disney music)