Little Blue Monster
By Annah Matthews
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17 NIV
It was a great morning. My oldest son had left for school and my 2 year old son, Zac, and I were happily playing at home. We had breakfast, read books, did puzzles, and watched a little Sesame Street together.
It was time for me to get ready to run some errands so I told Zac that Mommy was going to take a shower. He usually comes upstairs with me and watches TV on my bed while I get ready, but he was having such a good time playing in the den with his books and toys that I just didn’t have the heart to disturb him.
I took a quick shower and then peeked over the banister to check on him. He was still sitting in the same spot I had left him and seemed extremely content. I got dressed and made up my bed and peeked in on him again. He was still sitting there like the perfect little angel watching his TV show.
As I was finishing up my hair and makeup I was thinking what a wonderful little boy I had but more importantly, what a good parent I was. I mean, I could take 30 minutes to get ready and my toddler wouldn’t even disturb me.
For those with preschoolers at home, you know that the second you walk to the bathroom they are knocking at the door asking for you so this was a major accomplishment on my part. Wow… what a good parent I was! I got his clothes together and went downstairs to help him get ready.
His back was turned to me and when I said his name he turned around and I got a big, blue, toothy grin smiling back. His mouth and lips were covered in blue marker as were his hands and his legs. He looked like a little blue monster. The couch cushion, the cabinet doors, and even the fridge all had a blue streak across them. Matter of fact, 4 rooms of the house had some form of blue colored randomly across them.
The first thing I said to him, Zac what did you do!!?
Naturally, I knew exactly what he had done but I wanted him to tell me and I intended to draw a confession out of him. In his best little 2-year old way, he pointed to the marker and then got up and started showing me all the places he had left a drawing for me. There went my pride and there went the end of my awesome parenting skills.
God our Father is perfect in every way and loves us with a long and deep everlasting love. No matter how many times we mess up or end up with blue smeared across our face, He is gracious and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us from all our sins.
Even more importantly, when we find ourselves faced with the consequences of our bad decisions He lovingly calls out to us and asks us the questions that He already has the answers to.
Why does God question us?
The same reason we question our children. He wants to draw us into conversation with Him and sometimes bring about a confession for our sins. Our God is Our Perfect Heavenly Father despite us being flawed and imperfect children.
When He begins to prick our hearts and asks us to talk to Him, He isn’t doing it to make us feel guilty or ashamed. He just wants us to be restored into fellowship with Him and He wants us to allow Him to change us even in the midst of bad decisions.
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 NIV
Don’t allow the enemy a foothold in your struggle or in your conscience. Take it to your loving heavenly Father and allow Him to cleanse you and restore you from any guilt or shame.
Zac and I spent a while cleaning blue marks off of the walls, cabinets, and couches, as well as off of him. He didn’t particularly like the good scrubbing he had to get in the bathtub, but after awhile there was only the faintest trace of blue marker left on his body. Within a few hours he had happily forgotten about the whole incident and the markers were put safely out of reach.
As my child, I lovingly forgave him even as we were scrubbing the walls together. He is my child and there is nothing that he can do to lose my love. Despite the measure with which I love my children and how quickly I am to forgive them, isn’t it comforting to know that we have a perfect Father above who loves us, forgives us unconditionally and…
who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Eph 3:20 NIV
Is there something the Lord has been asking of you but you are too ashamed to admit it or to confess it to Him? Does Satan have a foothold in your struggle, convincing you that not confessing it would be a better option?
Take a moment now to ask the Lord to bring to your mind any areas which you have been ashamed to admit to Him. Listen as He questions you and ask Him to help you be bold to answer Him back. If there are areas of your life which need confessing, ask Him for forgiveness and ask Him to cleanse you from any shame or guilt you have been harboring.
Thank You Lord, that You are our Perfect Father and that You do love us with a perfect love. Thank You that when we confess our sins to You that You are faithful and just to forgive us of those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to be sensitive to the times You question us and to be bold and courageous to answer back when You call out to us. Keep us in fellowship with You and ever mindful of our position as a daughter of the King.
© 2012 by Annah Matthews. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Tuesday, 21 June 2016.
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