When I first had my son one of my students came to me and asked me this question, "What have you learned about Jesus since becoming a mother?". Really good question. One that I just did not have an answer to until 7 months in to be a mother. As a mother (or parent) you are literally constantly learning about yourself, your spouse, your child, even the close family around you, but honestly my brain never even attempted to think about what God wanted to show me through this new venture of motherhood until that question was asked. It has been rolling around inside my head for the past 5 months, and God revealed something new to me through one rough night, when it had seemed like Lawson forgot how to sleep. (Bless it.) I had put him down sleeping, but soon after heard him wailing. Searching for me, wanting me. I watched on the monitor for a few minutes as he tossed back and forth seeking to be comforted by the only one who really knew how..ME. I made my way into his room, and as soon as those dark eyes saw my shadow the little hands reached towards me. He knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to let everyone know it. He needed me. He wanted me. He cried out for me. And because I love him more than anything in the world, I reached down, picked up that fragile body, and held him and comforted him until he felt secure again. In that quiet moment, while holding my most prized possession, Jesus taught me something that we all need to hear. "Your child knows when to cry out. He lets you know when he needs to be comforted, and he clings to who knows him best. You need to do the same."
Woah Jesus. So simple and so comforting. I love my baby a whole heck of a lot, but to think that Jesus loves me immeasurably more blows my mind. To know that Jesus is just longing for us to cry out to Him, to reach up towards him and grab onto him stops me in my tracks. All the love Jesus has for us is there. It's available. Waiting to be used to calm every fear, guide every moment of indecisiveness, and to appease the pain and hurt we all hold on to.
Why don't we cry out when we need Jesus? Are we afraid of showing weakness? Are we hiding the pain that cripples us, or the fear that stops us from accomplishing daily tasks? What stops us? In my women's resource, we are reading "Fervent" by Priscilla Shirer. In a book focused on prayer she is not afraid to point out that we are in a daily struggle with a very real enemy, the devil. I have often not acknowledged the devil in certain situations..maybe it's an ignorance is bliss situation..idk. But after reading this, my anthem has changed. YA'LL. The devil is real. He is a distorter. A liar. And he wants nothing more than to destroy you.
Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." The scripture is written for a reason. The devil is real and he's fighting a battle against us. The cooler thing is that so is JESUS! Hallelujah! Amen! Jesus is fighting our battles! And when we reach out, and call out to Him He reaches down, picks us up, and comforts and secures.