It was just after sunset and all the fireflies were out. We only have them for about three wondrous weeks in Tennessee, and the show from our hilltop is breathtaking. Walks to see the fireflies are special.
My youngest son, Leo, and I were starting a trek up the hill in the fading light. Rowan ran out of the house to join us. I really like him too—just as much as I like Leo. But this was a walk for two. I sent the older fella back and we kept walking up the hill. On his way back to the house, I know he didn’t think it was quite fair.
It’s definitely not fair. But I often wonder if we really want fair, or if we just want things to go our way. When my own heart cries “no fair!” I have to check myself against the Word. And anytime a child tries to plead fairness with me, I try to lead them right down the Roman Road: we are all guilty, we all have earned death, Jesus died to pay our debt, and in Him we have glorious salvation.
The gospel isn’t fair. It’s gracious. It seems so unfair that Moses didn’t get to see the promised land. He was a man of the law. But he was forbidden from entering because of a single offense. God brought the Israelites, who spent years complaining in the wilderness, “into the land [He] swore to them” (Deuteronomy 31:23). The faithfulness of God has never been dependent on the faithfulness of men. It isn’t rooted in our sense of fairness, our timing, or our preferences. Every good gift is from God’s own hand. Every gift is full of grace.
And boy, do we need that grace because we just don’t have the full picture here on earth. Our hearts clamor for temporal fairness, but God offers us eternal grace. Moses didn’t set foot in Canaan, yet he inherited eternal fellowship with God. Like all of us Israelites at heart, he received grace upon grace, to inherit a promise that he did not deserve.
From our earthly perspective, it’s pretty hard to parse out what we do or don’t deserve. Did Rowan deserve to walk with us to the top of the hill to see fireflies? I could have taken him along, but he also needed the blessing of a good night’s rest, and Leo needed some extra time with his mama. I’m an imperfect caretaker. But God is perfect, and He invites us to join Him on some walks and to see some wonders in His good providence. We can fix our hope on the God who replaces “fair” with “beauty, goodness, and truth.” Thanks be to God.
Angie, thank you for the recommendation. I grew up with 2 sisters and very much need boy parenting advice. We are so blessed to be here after God brought us through infertility and a miscarriage earlier this year, if the baby never sleeps at all I wouldn’t care ! What a difficult situation with your SIL and her daughter. Bless you for ministering to these girls and I am praying for you in this situation. CeeGee, Sarah Joy, Jessica Pittman, Arina, thank you for praying and for sharing in this miracle that God has done! Thank you all for praying.
My throat choked up a little bit and I stopped over the phrase when God told Moses he was going to die soon. For myself, it made me cry because I loved this Bible character, but it made him so heartbreakingly real when I remembered he was human, and so he HAD to die. But in those moments, where he was old, frail, and breaking down, he might’ve looked back over how God had been faithful. Even in our frailest, wrinkliest moments, God can and will use us. Our use doesn’t have an expiration date with God. And I hope I am like that when I am old, a person in close friendship with God, remembering how good he was to me, and how I’ll see him soon.
My throat choked up a little bit when God told Moses he was going to die soon. For myself, it made me cry because I loved this Bible character, but it made him so heartbreakingly real when I remembered he was human, and so he HAD to die. But in those moments, where he was old, frail, and breaking down, he might’ve looked back over how God had been faithful. And I hope I am like that when I am old, a person in close friends
Amen! Beautiful prayer. I hope the same when I am old.
Truth!!!!
Angie, that’s a tough situation. Praying that God gives you discernment on what to do.
Victoria E- Congrats on having a little boy!
Nads, I hope your body feels better.
Girl you know you could’ve let him come on that walk
I often struggled with why God didn’t allow Moses to enter the promised land after all he had gone through to get there for a seemingly harmless moment, but I’ve learned that what Moses did wasn’t actually harmless at all. God is very specific about his “types” and “antitypes”. The rock represented Jesus, our cornerstone, it was the “type” and Jesus, the anti type. On the cross water flowed from his side, just as water flowed from the rock. To strike the rock twice messed up this symbol of things to come, because Jesus died once and for all, and what God told Moses to do was supposed to be a representation of that. The beautiful thing, is that although God didn’t allow Moses to cross the Jordan, in His love and Mercy He allowed Moses to see the true promise, Jesus, at the transfiguration.
Hello, my Lovelies,
Yesterday was such a moving day. I attended Danny’s funeral…what a beautiful person, who served faithfully and joyfully even in the midst of great hardships re: his life and health. It was his wife and sisters who comforted the REST OF US! I loved that the young children were present at the funeral to celebrate/worship.
Lord, Jesus, may I please You even half as much as Danny did in his 42 years of life and may I be ready when You call me home. Lord, please hold closely his whole family, namely his 7 year-old, his Mama and his wife.
**
The last few days, I have had incessant headaches and body aches…but, as I walked up the stairs, I thought of every one of you (truly!!) my SRT sisters and of Danny and the importance of pushing through, to serve and love God even when… especially when it is difficult.
Thank you for inspiring me EVERY DAY ❤️