God’s love is a mystery

Happy Christmas Reader!!  I hope this post finds you well and overwhelmed by Jesus’ extravagant love!  This Christmas I am thankful, and wanted to share some sweet news with you 🙂

I have been absent here for quite some time.  I know I say this a lot, and it is true, we are busy.  But this break from blogging, now really more than half a year, has been intentional.  There have been times over that last six or seven months where I’ve wanted to and write, to share, even to just get it out on paper (well, not really paper, but you know what I mean).  There’s been a lot going on – little things, big things, things that you pray about and pray about and wait and cry over and realize that the Lord is using to break you and make you more like Himself.  And it’s often painful.  And honestly, I don’t feel I can share, not yet.

I have been writing things down, elsewhere.  Maybe one day those thoughts will make it here and the Lord will use them to encourage someone else 🙂  But for now, something amazing has happened, something I cannot not document.  This blog, after all, is more than just me to you.  It’s me to me, and one day, I want to look back and remember the chronicles of our life, this little amazing family of mine 🙂  So, what is it you ask?  That has demanded a break in the silence?

It’s God, and His great, mysterious love.  And I think it’s fitting to post about it on a day we set aside to intently reflect on that love.

On December 6th, about a week and a half ago, the boys and I were driving.  If you’re new to the blog, I have two boys.  Silas, our classic first born, 7 years old, smart, sometimes sassy, always thinking, often tender hearted.  Then there’s Ethan, five years old, quirky, shy around strangers but hilarious when he’s comfortable.  Also analytical, sweet and snuggly.

Anyways, back to December 6th and driving.  I’m finding that many of our most memorable conversations happen when we’re just driving around.  About five minutes into the car ride, Ethan says, “Mom, is there anyone that’s 100 years old?”

“Yes, some people, but not very many.”

“Why not?”

“Well, after a certain age (*ahem, apparently thirty) your body starts to break down.  People just don’t live forever.”

“Well, we do live forever, because after we die, we go to heaven to be with Jesus.”

Silas, the older, wiser brother makes a correction, “Well, not EVERYONE goes to heaven.”

“Well, anyone who puts their trust in Jesus and loves Him gets to go to heaven,” I reassure him.

“I don’t know Mom,” my five year old says.  “I don’t know if I trust in Jesus.  God’s love is a mystery to me.”

I smiled 🙂  He meant what he said.

We talked about God and His love, about Jesus coming from heaven as a baby, living and teaching and showing us who God is.  We talked about the cross and I asked him if he knew why Jesus died and came back to life.

“Do  we always make the right choices Ethan?”

“No.”

“And when we don’t, it hurts God’s heart.  That’s what we call sin.  And when we have sin, it separates us from God.  Jesus came to bring us back to Him.  Do you believe all that Ethan?”

“Yes!”

“Well, the Bible says if you believe that, you can pray and ask God to forgive you for your sins, and He will.  And if you ask Him to be in charge of your life and help you love and obey Him, then He’ll come into your heart.  Then you can be with Him, even after you die.  Do you want to do that?

“Yes!”

And right then and there, driving in our mini van, I got to lead Ethan through a prayer to trust in Jesus.  What a sweet privilege!

Now I know he doesn’t know or realize everything it means to walk with the Lord, that as much as we talk about God and try to explain things in a way a five year old can understand, grasping these concepts will be something he does over a lifetime.  But he did understand enough to make this decision.  In a childlike simplicity and faith, he said “Yes!” to Jesus!  And my heart is so full 🙂

So Merry Christmas friends, from our family to yours!  I’m thankful for a God who has done all the heavy lifting, who has made salvation and a relationship with Him simple enough that even children can walk in it!  Have you said “Yes!” to Jesus?