Words from Wednesday

"He did it before, so He'll do it again."

My daughter is a little clumsy. Granted, she is only two, but she has a funny walk. One that I am finally thinking she may need to go see her doctor about. So, when we are walking or running or dancing or anything that causes one foot to go in front of the other and requires some extent of balance, she is a prime candidate for tripping and falling.

A few weeks ago she got another big "owie." This time it was a scrape across the front of her fingers. She was pretty choked up about it for quite some time, and wouldn't let anyone touch her! She finally moved on to the point where she had to show everyone and get sympathy from whomever she could.

One night she was—again—showing us her owie. We try to show our kids how their scrapes and scratches get better—and God is the one healing them. So when she showed us her wound, we asked (again!), "Who is making it better?" She wasn't in the mood for the attention to be taken away from her at that point and started whining again. This time it was my son who piped up. And he said the most amazing thing: "Don't worry, A. God is going to make it all better. He did it before, so He will do it again. That is just what God does." And to that my daughter replied, "All better?" My son agreed with her and that was that. No more sharing of war-wounds.

I was pretty impressed with my son's little declaration, because it was so true—and he said it as if it was the simplest truth in the world. Yet one we often don't live by. We want to know how life will work out, how we can trust the situation, how we can trust God's work in it all. In school I am teaching my students about Abraham and the covenant God gave to Abraham to make him into a great nation. It's amazing how we, like Abraham, wonder when God is going to follow through on his promises—and then He does. God goes on to make this same covenant to the generations to come, just like He said He would. One of my favourite verses that have to do with this is in Genesis 28:15, when God is speaking with Jacob. He says, "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. . .I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you." Then Jacob sets up his stone at Bethel as a reminder that God made a promise to him right there and will hold true to it.

Later on, in 1 Samuel 7, the people of Israel are in a pinch with the Philistines. Samuel tells the people not to stop crying out to God for help (7:8) and he continues to make his offering to God. And just as God promised, He follows through, sends a huge thunder that threw the Philistines into a panic and allows God's people become victorious in battle. Then Samuel goes and sets up a stone that he calls Ebenezer (v.15) and says, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." God promised to be the protector of His people when they were obedient to Him, and He follows through on His promise.

God is no different to us—to me—today He promises to be our Lord and our Saviour. He promises to love us and protect us. He promises us eternal life is we love and obey Him. He is a God who keeps His promises, just like my son said, "He did it before, so He will do it again!"

Passages for reflection: Genesis 15, Genesis 22:15-18,Genesis 28, 1 Samuel 7