Life Unscripted
By Dawn Aldrich
Thursday, March 15, 2018
““What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.” Luke 1:66b NIV
I wished my kids came with instructions. They wished I came with a script.
Wearing that deer-in-the-headlights look while racing through my Rolodex of wisdom didn’t settle them one bit. If I lingered too long in dumbfoundedness, they assumed I didn’t care; spoke too soon and I didn’t understand.
Either way, it was an exasperating, losing battle and my Mommy Meter quickly ran dry of patience until all that was left was my Mean Mommy sarcasm. “What do you want me to say?”
I’d retort throwing my hands above my head. “You didn’t come with instructions and God didn’t hand me a script the day you were born!” Honestly, some days I was the one that needed the time-out chair!
Seriously, wouldn’t life be less complicated if our children came fully equipped with unique, personality-based instructions, or at the very least, a script that prompts us parents when we’re clueless?
Elizabeth and Mary came close.
When Gabriel foretold the births of their sons, John the Baptist and Jesus, he not only revealed their sexes and names, but he foretold their Kingdom purpose. John would be the prophet to the Messiah, preparing people’s hearts to receive Him through repentance of sins and water baptism.
Jesus would be prophecy fulfilled – the Messiah – the One.
Knowing they carried God’s redemptive plan in their bellies, I’m not convinced parenting these boys was any easier for these women than it is for us clueless moms. Let’s put ourselves in Mary’s shoes when Jesus came up missing and she found him in the temple after backtracking three days.
Just imagine the words that flew out of her mouth. I’m sure there was a bit of Mean Mommy sarcasm on her lips! Or what of Elizabeth’s comments when she saw John living like a poor homeless man in the desert wearing nothing but camel hides and eating locusts and honey?
We don’t actually know what she said, but she was a Jewish mother from a long line of priests. TRADITION! I’m thinking she was not too pleased with his choice of attire or diet.
While modern technology reveals the sex of our unborn, we still haven’t a clue of God’s plan for them. We wonder about it on those sleepless nights when the moonlight shines just right onto their sleeping, angelic faces, or when they disobey, make wrong choices, maybe even abandon their faith.
In all these situations we pray, “What is this child going to be?”
Our children may not come with instructions and God may not provide us scripts; we cannot control their choices or what they become.
But we can do our best to train them in the truth of God’s word, which He promises will always accomplish what He desires, and we must live God’s truth before them.
Make it a habit starting today to share God’s love with your kids each and every day. Tell them about how much He loves them.
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 NIV
Heavenly Father, Thank You that You love our children even more than we do, which is hard to imagine. We love You so much and we thank You for the amazing blessing of entrusting these children to us to raise and grow. Thank You for partnering with us so that we do not have to do it alone. We love You God, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
© 2018 by Dawn Aldrich. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Thursday, 15 March 2018.
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