For two weeks now my little three year old son has been putting together little gifts for Jesus. It started the week before Christmas. The first time I found him doing this he was in the bathtub taking his favorite tub toys, wrapping them up in wash clothes, and waiting for Jesus to come and receive His birthday presents.
After four days of this I really didn't know what to do. Do I take the 'present,' hide it and tell him that Jesus took the gift? (I know that's lying-I didn't do it). Do I sit down and tell him that Jesus doesn't need that kind of gift from us? Do I tell him that Jesus probably won't come to you at tub time? Well, honestly, I was at such a loss of what to do that I said nothing and did nothing.
Christmas came and went. Tub time continued. I thought okay, "Christmas is over, we've sung "Happy Birthday to Jesus" my little boy will not spend his whole tub time making a present for Jesus and waiting for Him. I was wrong. As a matter of fact each night since Christmas my son has done the exact same thing in the tub as he did before Christmas. He wrapped up his toys and waited for Jesus.
He never complained. Never questioned why Jesus hadn't come. Never got discouraged. Never got deterred from the mission of giving Jesus a gift. Me?- on the other hand, I got nervous. I wondered what was my role as the mommy? What do I tell him? I didn't get any great ideas on how to properly handle this-so again, I just let the situation be.
So, last night, six days after Christmas, I took my daughter out of the tub first, but I allowed my little boy to stay and wait for Jesus. I checked on him every few minutes to see if he was okay or if he was ready to get out of the tub. It wasn't long before I heard my son call to me and say, "Mommy, I'm ready." I scooped him up and carried him to his room to get dressed. While dressing him I asked him how his tub time was.
He said, "Great!"
I asked, "why?"
He said with a bubbling over smile and excitement in his voice, "Jesus was in the bathroom with me-He came!"
I said, "He did!!!"
Not really thinking a three year old could describe what Jesus looked like I asked him, "What did Jesus look like?"
My son responded, "He was a very bright yellow" and my boy jumped up and down.
I then asked, "Was Jesus nice?"
He said, "Oh, mommy, He's so cute!"
Call me crazy, but I really believe that my son did see Jesus. I believe it because my son waited expectantly and was hopeful for Jesus to come. I believe it because I saw that for two weeks my son's heart wanted nothing more than to give Jesus a present. I believe it because the Bible tells us that Jesus loves children. I believe it because that's the heart of our God. Our God wants to come to us. He wants to talk with us and be known to us. He wants so much to love us.
I've been pricked in my heart over this experience. I been thinking about how I am to offer my gifts to God humbly, hopefully, expectantly and believe that Jesus will not only hear me, not only receive my gift, but make Himself known to me.
What gift do I want to give Jesus?
My life.
I want Him to form me, change me, mold me, use me for His work.
I want to give Him my hurt, my unforgiveness, my pride, my anger. These may not sound like great gifts to us, but to Jesus they are. To give Him all our wounds and trust and believe that He will heal us is a wonderful present to Him.
I want this next year of my life to be one where I find myself sitting and waiting, as my son did with joy, for Jesus to come. To have Him come and 'sup' with me. To be so intimate with God that I hear His voice at each turn. That my focus will be on Him alone. And maybe when I offer my gifts, maybe He won't heal me right away, maybe I'll have to wait, but my prayer is that I will not loose hope. Not loose my focus. Not get discouraged, but believe that one day I will be healed!
Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus came! He came to earth out of shear love for us. He came to know us. He came that we could know Him. And just think, we can have it so He comes into our lives each and every day- we don't have to wait for Christmas! All we need do is to humble ourselves like a little child and ask Him to come...and believe He will.
After four days of this I really didn't know what to do. Do I take the 'present,' hide it and tell him that Jesus took the gift? (I know that's lying-I didn't do it). Do I sit down and tell him that Jesus doesn't need that kind of gift from us? Do I tell him that Jesus probably won't come to you at tub time? Well, honestly, I was at such a loss of what to do that I said nothing and did nothing.
Christmas came and went. Tub time continued. I thought okay, "Christmas is over, we've sung "Happy Birthday to Jesus" my little boy will not spend his whole tub time making a present for Jesus and waiting for Him. I was wrong. As a matter of fact each night since Christmas my son has done the exact same thing in the tub as he did before Christmas. He wrapped up his toys and waited for Jesus.
He never complained. Never questioned why Jesus hadn't come. Never got discouraged. Never got deterred from the mission of giving Jesus a gift. Me?- on the other hand, I got nervous. I wondered what was my role as the mommy? What do I tell him? I didn't get any great ideas on how to properly handle this-so again, I just let the situation be.
So, last night, six days after Christmas, I took my daughter out of the tub first, but I allowed my little boy to stay and wait for Jesus. I checked on him every few minutes to see if he was okay or if he was ready to get out of the tub. It wasn't long before I heard my son call to me and say, "Mommy, I'm ready." I scooped him up and carried him to his room to get dressed. While dressing him I asked him how his tub time was.
He said, "Great!"
I asked, "why?"
He said with a bubbling over smile and excitement in his voice, "Jesus was in the bathroom with me-He came!"
I said, "He did!!!"
Not really thinking a three year old could describe what Jesus looked like I asked him, "What did Jesus look like?"
My son responded, "He was a very bright yellow" and my boy jumped up and down.
I then asked, "Was Jesus nice?"
He said, "Oh, mommy, He's so cute!"
Call me crazy, but I really believe that my son did see Jesus. I believe it because my son waited expectantly and was hopeful for Jesus to come. I believe it because I saw that for two weeks my son's heart wanted nothing more than to give Jesus a present. I believe it because the Bible tells us that Jesus loves children. I believe it because that's the heart of our God. Our God wants to come to us. He wants to talk with us and be known to us. He wants so much to love us.
I've been pricked in my heart over this experience. I been thinking about how I am to offer my gifts to God humbly, hopefully, expectantly and believe that Jesus will not only hear me, not only receive my gift, but make Himself known to me.
What gift do I want to give Jesus?
My life.
I want Him to form me, change me, mold me, use me for His work.
I want to give Him my hurt, my unforgiveness, my pride, my anger. These may not sound like great gifts to us, but to Jesus they are. To give Him all our wounds and trust and believe that He will heal us is a wonderful present to Him.
I want this next year of my life to be one where I find myself sitting and waiting, as my son did with joy, for Jesus to come. To have Him come and 'sup' with me. To be so intimate with God that I hear His voice at each turn. That my focus will be on Him alone. And maybe when I offer my gifts, maybe He won't heal me right away, maybe I'll have to wait, but my prayer is that I will not loose hope. Not loose my focus. Not get discouraged, but believe that one day I will be healed!
Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus came! He came to earth out of shear love for us. He came to know us. He came that we could know Him. And just think, we can have it so He comes into our lives each and every day- we don't have to wait for Christmas! All we need do is to humble ourselves like a little child and ask Him to come...and believe He will.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Matthew 5:8
Elle, I'm so glad you posted this! I love it. Christmas is still going and Epiphany is not until January 6 when the 12 days of Christmas ends.
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