Psalm 139:4-6 (NIV) 4 Before a
word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem
me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Wow, that took my breath away. God knows when I am
about to yell, scream, and pitch a royal mom fit. That is completely humbling.
It is also very humiliating. I can just see the sad look on His face as he sees
me well up with anger, getting ready to shout at my (His) children. I wish I
was an artist. I would paint a picture of that scene and hang it in my home. It
reminds me of when I watch my one year old son getting ready to do something
naughty. He always turns and looks to see if I am watching just a split second
before he carries out his devious adventure. Maybe I should “turn” and remember
that God is watching me as well when I am parenting my children.
I am quite
sure that if Jesus were physically standing next to me, I wouldn’t lose my
temper at my kids. I’d put on my happy mom face and do my best to parent the
way I should. So, my new tool is to imagine that He is indeed standing there
with me. After all, I have invited Jesus into my heart and life. So, in a
sense, He is indeed there with me.
heart, verses 5 and 6 give me hope and purpose. It is blatantly obvious that I
can not control my tongue on my own. I can’t depend on my parenting skills
alone. As moms of little ones, it is so easy to feel all alone in this quest to
become better at our most important job. The good news is that we aren’t. The
Bible promises that as we search for wisdom, God will help us to attain it.
Verse 5 says that his hand is upon us.
Can you imagine a warm and comforting hand on your shoulder, gently turning
you, guiding you down the correct path? That hand isn’t forcing you. It is ever
so slight, but still firm and confident.
God is both “behind and before” us.
That means he sees all we have done, and all we have yet to do. If we trust his
guiding hand, we can know that our path will be the one He chooses for us. Verse 6 helps us celebrate the overwhelming fact
that the wisdom we seek as parents is impossible to obtain on our own, but
through God, we are blessed with such wonderful knowledge. He will help us. We
just have to ask. Or, in my case, ask, and then shut my mouth long enough to
listen.
Prayer: Father, your hand is such a comfort to me.
It is powerful, it is real, and I don’t deserve it. Thank you for your grace
and your willingness to teach me the lessons I need to learn in a manner that
is firm yet gentle in the same touch. Please help me to guide my children in
the same manner. Allow me to set and example for them that is good and right,
so that they can follow your path as well. I thank you for showing me how to be
a Quiet, Grace Filled Mother through your example. Amen.
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