Yesterday morning was a typical day. My daughter had already left for school and I was waiting on my son to finish up his routine so I could drop him off. His school I.D. tag was on my table so I grabbed it and went into the bathroom where he was brushing his teeth.
“Do you need this?” I asked.
“Mmm. Mmm…mmm….mmm…mmmm…mmmm.”
“Put it in your backpack. Okay.” I walked out of the bathroom and followed his instructions. And it hit me, wow, that was such a mom thing here. He never once pronounced a syllable let alone a coherent word, but I know him so well. I heard his mumbles clearly. It wasn’t a mystery.
Much like mothers translating their toddler’s babbles to those who don’t spend much time around them.
You just know. If you’re a parent, you’re nodding right now. Or if you’re a babysitter, nanny, or day care worker who spends copious amounts of time with particular children.
And it struck me how thankful I am that God knows all my mumbles. Sometimes, I don’t have the words to say. I don’t even know what to say. Sometimes, they’re only incoherent sobs. Heart cries.
God knows every hiccupped, mumbled word.
I asked my son when he came out of the bathroom, “Did it surprise you I knew exactly what you were saying?”
His reply: “No, should it?”
Child-like faith. He knows I know him. And it doesn’t surprise him that I understand every word out of his mouth whether it’s formed perfectly or not.
Don’t ever be afraid that God doesn’t know your heart and the cries that swell from within, even if you’re not sure. He is. And never doubt that he hears every single word. And that he loves you and plans to take care of you.
me first inside, then out;
God—you’re breathtaking!
and out,
I was made, bit by bit,
something.
you watched me grow from conception to birth;
before you,
all prepared
So much truth in this post! It's amazing how we do know our kids so well. How blessed are we that God knows us!!
Amen!
The reverse happened in my house the other day. My daughter came in while I was brushing my teeth and I tried to mumble a reply to her question. After saying it about four times (I thought I was being clear), I finally pulled the brush out of my mouth and said it as clearly and slowly as I could. She finally got it. I wish I was just as skilled at hearing God's whispered words as He is at hearing mine. Thanks for the reminder, Jess.
I hear ya, Gabe! Love that you had the reverse situation. That's wild!
What a beautiful, truth-filled reminder that God understands my mumbles, groans and the desires of hearts — even when I don't. It happened just last night as I mumbled through a prayer that He used to clarify something very important. LOVE this today, sweet Friend!
Thank you, Donna. I feel like I've had a lot of mumbled incoherent (to me) prayers lately! Love you!
Jess, this made me laugh…because just recently I've been having some chats with God about some stuff and multiple times I've just shaken my head while praying, laughing to myself, because here I've been trying to figure myself out and articulate my thoughts to God…and it's like, duh, he knows my thoughts better than I do. He knows my heart. Like you said, he knows my mumbles. I can let those be my prayer and it's okay. 🙂
Oh, how I loved this today! I think Satan just lies in wait to trip us up and prod us with, "Oh, come on! You know He doesn't really care!"
I'm so thankful that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we can't form coherent thoughts or words.
So, God had directed me to these verses yesterday, AND today. And also to Matthew 6. I think He's trying to tell me that He's hearing my prayers, and He has everything taken care of!
I can tell from the sound of soft movement which dog needs to go out. Scary, since there are 23 in the house (and 4 outside). They don't even have to whine, or bark.
And yes, there are times when it feels that God has turned away from me. I've never had a 'God experience', and am not sure what a relationship with Christ would feel like.
So I fall back on logic. I know that Christ lived, and was crucified. I know that the events which led up to the Resurrection would have made no sense unless there really WAS a Resurrection, and that Christ's recorded words and behavior are consistent with His divinity, and inconsistent with any other explanation of His life.
Additionally, the prophecies of His life and role were recorded several centuries before His birth, as witnessed by the Qumran scrolls.
QED, Christ is one aspect of the triune Godhead, and His promises of care and personal care are commended to me by logical analysis. Belief of anything else would quickly be invalidated by the evidence.
Just once, I would like to feel the warm embrace of an emotionally-held faith, rather than this arid intellectualism. But one is as one was made, and I accept it.