Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday Reflection: Sleeping Child
On Christmas Eve, I was in church behind a family I do not know. They had a baby with them, about six months old. For about fifteen minutes, the baby looked around and tugged at his dad's ear. Then, as the father stood holding him, the baby fell asleep. It was out in the way only a baby can be-- body totally limp, conformed perfectly to the curve of his father's shoulder, face slack, mouth open. It was a complete sleep, sure and certain.
Something about that deeply moved me. I think it may have been a message beyond the obvious parallel to the baby Jesus being celebrated. What came to my mind was the admonition that one must come to Jesus like a child. I have never been wholly sure what that means, but perhaps a part of it was written on that baby's posture on Christmas Eve-- that one must be able to completely trust, to conform ourselves to the shoulder of our Father, and rest from the struggles that consume our Earthly days.
Something about that deeply moved me. I think it may have been a message beyond the obvious parallel to the baby Jesus being celebrated. What came to my mind was the admonition that one must come to Jesus like a child. I have never been wholly sure what that means, but perhaps a part of it was written on that baby's posture on Christmas Eve-- that one must be able to completely trust, to conform ourselves to the shoulder of our Father, and rest from the struggles that consume our Earthly days.
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I can exactly picture that baby. Spencer used to be like that... we called it his being in "noodle mode" Like a wet noodle. He would sleep anywhere.
Those were the days, way before today when now he prides himself on giving these things he calls "running start hugs." Its basically a TACKLE disguised as a hug.
He is a handful.
Makes me wonder though how some people are able to just fall asleep on God's shoulder and trust so completely? I think from the day I was born, for some reason, I always had one eye open.
Makes me wonder if there is like a window of time in a person's life when they are able to trust? Like a window of opportunity and if they cannot do it then, they never can? or something? Maybe that is why some people cannot just give over their lives to God. Like a little test they have to pass or something. I wonder when and how it happens, and why and why did I flunk that test?
All I know is that I will always sleep with one eye open. Alert, but very very tired.
Those were the days, way before today when now he prides himself on giving these things he calls "running start hugs." Its basically a TACKLE disguised as a hug.
He is a handful.
Makes me wonder though how some people are able to just fall asleep on God's shoulder and trust so completely? I think from the day I was born, for some reason, I always had one eye open.
Makes me wonder if there is like a window of time in a person's life when they are able to trust? Like a window of opportunity and if they cannot do it then, they never can? or something? Maybe that is why some people cannot just give over their lives to God. Like a little test they have to pass or something. I wonder when and how it happens, and why and why did I flunk that test?
All I know is that I will always sleep with one eye open. Alert, but very very tired.
Beautiful image for trust, the sleeping child . . . and yes I agree it's not always easy to let yourself trust completely . . .
# posted by 
: 9:47 PM
: 9:47 PM
Prof., that is an excellent metaphor with beautiful imagery. Personally, I've also struggled to let go and trust completely in God. But looking back during the hard times of life, He never let me down. Even in those times that I didn't trust Him. And we should trust Him because He doesn't ask anything of us for any selfish reason. He already has everything. So those times He asks us to trust Him are really times when He is trying to give us something.
And Tyd, you may feel like you've flunked the trust test, but God offers us as many retakes as we want. The key is to start now.
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And Tyd, you may feel like you've flunked the trust test, but God offers us as many retakes as we want. The key is to start now.
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