Hypocrite Monitors

God has a sense of humor. Heard that all my life. Just now fully understanding it. Well maybe not fully, just better.

I have 3 kids and I am with them ALL DAY LONG. They are my hypocrite monitors. They may not know it, they probably don’t even know what a hypocrite is, but their mama sure does.

You know, it’s hard to tell them to do something when -I’m- not doing it myself. Because if I do, then I become a hypocrite. Oh well, no big deal, they are just kids. If they are the only ones I am a hypocrite in front of, what’s so bad about that?

Everything.

They are the most important little blessings God has put in my life and it is my job and responsibility to teach them. And more importantly, show them. I have a hard time doing that, when I seem to struggle with the same things they do. Disobedience, unkind words, harsh tones when I speak, getting mad when I don’t get my way. Fear.

Fear, that seems to be a big one in our house. For several months, maybe almost a year now, they have been huge scaredy cats. I think it goes back to a really bad storm experience, (that I’ve already blogged about here, and by the way God is still having to teach me this lesson.) but it has affected them in everything now. They are scared to go outside by themselves, scared to sleep in their rooms by themselves, scared to go to the bathroom by themselves. Ok so really just my 4 year old on that last one. But it makes one stop and think. Are they scared because mama is? I don’t think I show it to them, but when they live with someone 24/7 and such a huge emotion like fear is present, no matter how good you try to hide it, it will show up.

I wanted to write a song, just for them that they could sing and really think about the words when they are scared. I didn’t want the words to be fancy or too deep or the melody too hard to sing. Just simple. (If you are tired of hearing about my songs, that’s kind of what the blog is about. AND WITH MY SONG. Just thought I would throw that in for good measure. ) Anyway, simple.

But God never really just does simple. I mean it appears to be simple. In all honesty it is simple. The plan of salvation – simple. Trusting – simple. Obedience – simple. We just have a tendency to complicate everything. And sometimes the simplest things, have the deepest meanings. So once again, while I’m trying to explain the song to them, God is speaking to my heart. LOUD AND CLEAR!! Too loud and clear, Lord. Don’t you think??

Here was our conversation, with the lyrics in italics:

Abraham was asked to give up the thing he loved the most – What does that mean? God wanted him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. I asked them to tell me what thing they loved the most. Our family. Ok, so would you be scared if God told you to give up your family? Yes!!

Moses had to stand still while being chased by a mighty host – What host? Why was he being chased? He came to the Red Sea and Pharoah’s army was chasing them and going to kill them. You know when we go to the ocean? And water is all you see? Imagine that you are being chased and there is no where to go. Or you are being chased by a mean dog. What if God told you to stand still and don’t run anymore? Wouldn’t that be scary? YES!!

Daniel in the lion’s den, the Hebrew children in the flames – If you were going to be thrown in a den of hungry lions, wouldn’t you be scared? Or if you knew you were fixing to be thrown into a hot fire and you were tied up and couldn’t get out, wouldn’t you be crying and afraid? YES!!

But in every situation, God said do not be afraid – So we would be scared in all those different situations, wouldn’t we? But God told them not to be. Even though it was scary. Why?

Fear not, I am with you. When your strength is gone, I will carry you.

When you cannot find your way, I will lead you through

Fear not, fear not, I am with you.

Isaac’s proof that God provided and had a bigger plan – God just wanted Abraham to be obedient and to trust Him. And because of his obedience, Isaac got to witness GOD’S provision.

And when the Red Sea parted Moses led God’s children on dry land – Because of Moses’s obedience, the children of Israel witnessed a MIRACLE!

God was in the furnace and Daniel lived to tell – Because the Hebrew children trusted God, He showed up in the fire with them. And because Daniel was brave, God shut the hungry lions’ mouths.

That God is faithful, tried and true and He will never fail! – What a testimony these men had all because they just simply TRUSTED God!

Fear not, I am with you. When your strength is gone, I will carry you.

When you cannot find your way, I will lead you through

Fear not, fear not, I am with you.

Bridge

That same God who delivered them is still in control

He is there beside me, in what I face and where I go. – God has not changed. Not one single bit.

Fear not, I am with you. When your strength is gone, I will carry you.

When you cannot find your way, I will lead you through

Fear not, fear not, I am with you.

Now, we know the end of the story. So maybe it might not seem that they had any need to fear. They didn’t know, though!! But God knew. They didn’t have the promises we have to look back on, they didn’t have the examples we have to live by. And LOOK WHAT THEY DID! They trusted. They had faith.

There’s no need to be afraid. Yes, it’s scary. No, we don’t know what’s going to happen. But neither did they. And look what GOD did!! I think we hear these stories so much, we get over the fact that their FAITH WAS INDEED BIGGER THAN THEIR FEAR. It wasn’t just a fancy quote we like to hang on our wall or pin on our pinterest board. It was life and breath to them.

I thank God for my little hypocrite monitors and pray that God helps me do what I ask them to do. And maybe I will remember how I feel when they tell me, “But I’m still scared. It’s hard to trust. I can’t remember the verses I’ve learned for when I’m scared. I don’t want to do it because I’m scared. Please don’t make me.” Cause what do I do? When they are crying and I really know that deep down, they are scared to death? I hold them. I dry their tears and I stay with them until they are no longer scared. And sometimes, I even let them sleep with me so that my presence is with them, all through the night when it’s the darkest and scariest. What a beautiful picture….

Maybe that “simple” little truth will help someone else out today.

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Words & Music ©Faith York 2016