I love my kids.
Jackson, our 5 year old, recently broke his elbow. This is the second of our 3 children to break an arm at the age of 5. Parents of the year we are not.
Jackson is the full of life adventurer type. At a year old he was already climbing out of his crib, climbing onto the top of the kitchen table and pushing chairs around the kitchen. When I contacted my mom to inform her of his broken arm, she replied, "I'm really sorry that that happened to him, but to be honest, I'm really surprised he hasn't already broken a bone!"
He also has a big bold spirit. I wrote about that previously when I compared him to C.S. Lewis' Reepicheep from the Narnia series. While reading the Narnia books to the kids, Jackson saw a picture of Reepicheep and claimed that the mouse was him. Now, I don't think that Jackson was identifying with a rodent. I think he was identifying with the absolutely fearless bold faith of Reepicheep because that is exactly what Jackson is.
So, when Jackson went to the ER, he entertained the masses with classic gems from his Jackson Lexicon. One of the pearls of wisdom that he tossed out to the entertained ER staff was the following:
"Jesus is the smartest. He knows everything. He even knows what infinity plus infinity is. I don't even know if infinity is really a number, but He knows what it equals."
It's so awesome to have my little guy testifying before people about the greatness of our God.
It's also a funny little story but an important reminder of my own failings in trusting God's wisdom and proclaiming it publicly.
Jesus DOES know what infinity plus infinity equals. He knows everything. And yet our grown-up adult view of faith seems to fail to grasp that truth when we are dealing with something monumentally scary in our lives.
It's like Job. I love when God shows up to answer him in Job 38:
Too often in Christian circles we think of teddy bear Jesus who wants us to have our "best life now" and make "every day a Friday." And yet, interestingly, God chooses to respond to Job not out of love and compassion, but out of rebuke. He's reminding Job of His tremendous power and sovereignty. Job's suffering brought about God's glory. And when Job stood up under that suffering God restored him to prosperity and health far exceeding his previous years. Every day wasn't a Friday for Job, but he sure ended well! It's this fundamental truth that Paul wrote about in talking about finishing the race well.
And although I sometimes miss it in the storms of life, my little guy Jackson can sit in a hospital at midnight with a broken arm and remember that God knows all, is above all, can do all things and takes comfort in that.
Jesus does comfort the broken-hearted, but He's also the all-powerful Lion of Judah prepared to demonstrate His power to a hurting world. Take comfort not in phony sentimentalism but in the absolute sovereignty and power of Jesus. In this life we will have trouble, but even when we fall off the couch and break our arm, Jesus is still in control. Just ask Jackson!
Jackson, our 5 year old, recently broke his elbow. This is the second of our 3 children to break an arm at the age of 5. Parents of the year we are not.
Jackson is the full of life adventurer type. At a year old he was already climbing out of his crib, climbing onto the top of the kitchen table and pushing chairs around the kitchen. When I contacted my mom to inform her of his broken arm, she replied, "I'm really sorry that that happened to him, but to be honest, I'm really surprised he hasn't already broken a bone!"
He also has a big bold spirit. I wrote about that previously when I compared him to C.S. Lewis' Reepicheep from the Narnia series. While reading the Narnia books to the kids, Jackson saw a picture of Reepicheep and claimed that the mouse was him. Now, I don't think that Jackson was identifying with a rodent. I think he was identifying with the absolutely fearless bold faith of Reepicheep because that is exactly what Jackson is.
So, when Jackson went to the ER, he entertained the masses with classic gems from his Jackson Lexicon. One of the pearls of wisdom that he tossed out to the entertained ER staff was the following:
"Jesus is the smartest. He knows everything. He even knows what infinity plus infinity is. I don't even know if infinity is really a number, but He knows what it equals."
It's so awesome to have my little guy testifying before people about the greatness of our God.
It's also a funny little story but an important reminder of my own failings in trusting God's wisdom and proclaiming it publicly.
Jesus DOES know what infinity plus infinity equals. He knows everything. And yet our grown-up adult view of faith seems to fail to grasp that truth when we are dealing with something monumentally scary in our lives.
It's like Job. I love when God shows up to answer him in Job 38:
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 2 "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; 10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; 11 When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!' 12 "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place, 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? 14 It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment. 15 From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken. 16 "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? 17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. 19 "Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, 20 That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home? 21 Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great? 22 "Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth? 25"Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt, 26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass? 28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? 30 The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen. 31 "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion? 32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? 34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? 35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, 'Here we are!'? 36 Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together? 39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait? 41 Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?"This rebuke of God's almighty power and sovereignty continues for another chapter or so (you should get a Bible and read it or look it up online!) Here's Job in the midst of tremendous suffering and although he refuses to "curse God and die" as his wife encourages, he is having a little pity party and demanding answers.
Too often in Christian circles we think of teddy bear Jesus who wants us to have our "best life now" and make "every day a Friday." And yet, interestingly, God chooses to respond to Job not out of love and compassion, but out of rebuke. He's reminding Job of His tremendous power and sovereignty. Job's suffering brought about God's glory. And when Job stood up under that suffering God restored him to prosperity and health far exceeding his previous years. Every day wasn't a Friday for Job, but he sure ended well! It's this fundamental truth that Paul wrote about in talking about finishing the race well.
And although I sometimes miss it in the storms of life, my little guy Jackson can sit in a hospital at midnight with a broken arm and remember that God knows all, is above all, can do all things and takes comfort in that.
Jesus does comfort the broken-hearted, but He's also the all-powerful Lion of Judah prepared to demonstrate His power to a hurting world. Take comfort not in phony sentimentalism but in the absolute sovereignty and power of Jesus. In this life we will have trouble, but even when we fall off the couch and break our arm, Jesus is still in control. Just ask Jackson!
