Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.This past Monday, God's everlasting arms kept my son safe and secure during a very bad fall. My son was climbing up the stairs at school (following behind me) and all of a sudden, he tripped on something and fell backwards, head-first, facing up, down the stairs. He kept sliding down and miraculously came to a full stop with his head just a couple of inches from hitting the stair landing! My heart stopped for a moment as I watched in horror. Time seemed to stand still for me as I ran down to help him get up. Right away, I noticed him limping. I checked for other injuries and found none. Right then and there, my thoughts turned to God, thanking Him for protecting my son. I told my son that God's arms were cradling him, preventing his head from hitting the landing! It turns out my son has a knee injury that has to heal for a week or so. He's thinks it's a treat that he gets to stay in for recess this week because he gets to play with the toys in his classroom when everyone else is out in the school yard. :-) This morning, as he was heading out for school, I was checking his school bag as usual. I commented on this huge, hardcover Star Wars book that he borrowed from the school library and how it is very heavy and taking up lots of space in his backpack. He went on to say that he just renewed it this week for no reason, and now he thinks the book (being on his back, inside his backpack when he fell) protected his back during the slide down and when it got stuck on the steps, he stopped sliding when he did --- just before his head would have hit the floor! This is the conversation that followed:
Me: Did you know that it was God who made you renew the book?
Son: No...I did it myself?!? (with a questioning look on his face)
Me: Did you know that God knows what we are going to do even before we do it?
Son: Oh! I didn't know that.
Me: God knew that you needed that particular book in your backpack when you fell off the stairs, so that you didn't hurt your back and your head. That's why He made you renew it.
Son: Wow, He knows what I will be thinking next year?
Me: Yes.
Son: In 1000 years? Wait, I'll be in heaven by then!Right back to his silliness! That's my son for you. While having a knee injury to nurse isn't a pleasant thing, I am thankful that through this incident, we have been reminded once again that our God cares about the little details of our lives. In my devotions today, the writer speaks about teaching our children about God using the everyday details of life. My little conversation with my son today was precisely that! I feel privileged to have had that opportunity with him --- a teachable moment, for sure! Today, I have been challenged by the devotion writer to reflect on the following questions:
- When observing your life, what do your children learn about God?
- Does your life reflect that your children are amongst your top priorities?
- Do you play and pray together as a family?
"The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
---Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT
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