Children’s Books.
Is there anything that so engages a child as the pictures that are colorful & glossy?
             Words that rhyme & make them laugh?
                        That happy ending that assures them all is well?
Recently, in attending a baby shower, we were each asked to bring a children’s book in lieu of a card. I knew instantly that my choice would be, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”.
Sophia came to love that book from a very young age. By the time she was 18 months, she knew the book by heart. She loved saying all the foods that he ate through. But nothing compared to the excitement that would build up for the page when the hungry little guy would emerge from his cocoon a beautiful butterfly. Sophia would exclaim delightfully, “Ta-daa!!!!”
She loved that he was beautiful. She loved that he had become what he was created to be. The interesting part to me is that she truly had no idea that this was all a part of God’s plan. That it was the way He designed the caterpillar to transform. Yet, to this day, she delights in the process represented in his insatiable appetite.
This made me realize how basic this is to the way we have been formed or wired by our God. He has created us with desire to change, a yearning to be all that we were meant to be, a drive for more, a striving to be beautiful.
It’s there in us from a young age & from a young age, we can recognize it even in a story.
Sometimes we can find ourselves disappointed with the point we are at in life. We thought it would be different or better. Sometimes we are so very aware of what we are not, of where we have failed, of our fears, of our inadequacies, of our faults even. But what if we were to look at these times a little differently?
What if we were to remember that this is all a part of getting to that “Ta-Da” moment?
What if we were to remember that our God is constantly working in our lives?
What if we were to remember that He has an end picture that He is moving our lives towards?
What if we were to remember that God is good & ALL that He does is good?
What if we were to remember that God is not like us, in that, He finishes everything that He starts?
I think if we were to deliberately, consciously, & constantly remember these things, we would be encouraged & motivated in our growth in & through Christ. We would be filled with a hope knowing that today is all a part of the process that He takes us through to get us to the end result.
“And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” (Philippians 1:6 Amplified).
See, if we were to remember all these things we would become SURE, no doubt in our minds, that we were on our way to becoming something more in Him. We would be confidant that He was continuing, developing, perfecting, & completing what He has started in our lives.
Hold on to Him. The big reveal may be soon. We will hear His voice saying,
                                           “Ta-Da!!!!!!”
