One of my favorite things to do as a child, was to catch lightning bugs (fireflies) at night. I would pull the light out and put it on my ring finger, pretending I was engaged. Now, I realize I was just putting bug guts on my finger. Not quite as magical.
I haven’t chased down lightning bugs in a very long time. In fact, I haven’t even thought of them in years.
Last week Melissa Tagg asked a question on her blog, Tag(g)lines: “How has God wow-ed you this week?” She had a beautiful, exciting post about her nephew, Ollie, with an amazing video of him before his surgery. I encourage you to read about it by following the link above and following her blog. She’s a talented writer, with a gift at hilarity!
How has God wow-ed me?
For the sake of sparing some embarrassment, I’m going to be a little vague, but my daughter, Bailey (12), spent a week up north with my family.
We’ve had some major disappointments in our family over the last few years, when someone we love dearly walked away from us and his faith. We’ve had time to grieve, get angry, resentful, bitter…and then time to let God heal and bring peace to those wounds.
But Bailey just found out. She’s going through the deep hurt and angry stage. And I’m letting her. Because, it isn’t fair to expect her to “straighten up that attitude when he’s around.” I expect her to be respectful, but God is going to have to do for her, what He’s done for the rest of us.
This family member showed up while Bailey was visiting, and she purposely ignored his knocks on the door. When he finally came in and tried to visit with her, because truth is–he loves her–she stared at her phone pretending to text.
He knew what was wrong. He told her if she ever wanted to talk to him about anything, she could. She ignored him.
Later, after he left, she came into the living room with tears in her eyes and said to my mom, “I wasn’t nice to him.” Then she shared about not answering the door, pretending to text, and ignoring him. (He didn’t share that with my mom.)
And then she said, “But God told me something.”
“What did He say?” my mom asked.
Bailey wiped her eyes. “He said, ‘Bailey, you know how lightning bugs’ lights go on and off? Well, that’s what’s happened to him. His light’s gone off…but it’s going to come back on. And do you know when you go to catch a lightning bug, right before you grab it, the light goes off? You have to wait…be still…watch…and then the light comes back on and you can catch it. Be still, Bailey…just wait.”
That’s what God said to my daughter. My 12 year old daughter! That’s how God wow-ed me.
I sobbed because, I’m overjoyed and in awe that my daughter listens to God, that He speaks to her so intimately at a young age, though I shoudn’t be surprised. I wept because it renewed my hope that our dear loved one hadn’t escaped God’s eyes, arms, or heart. That God still indeed has plan for his life and hasn’t given up on him.
And I cried out of shame, because I had. I’d given up, succumbed that this was just the way it was. Some days, his name never entered into my prayers. I was tired of praying. Tired of believing and I became complacent. Which is exactly what the enemy wants for us. But we can’t give up hope. We can’t stop praying for loved ones.
Like a lightning bug, a light blinked on in my heart, to illuminate God’s truth:
“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:29
Question for you: What’s one favorite childhood, summer memory?
