Just when I think that God isn’t listening to me anymore in my distress, He reminds me of His presence in the sweetness of my two-year-old. I have to admit that I was feeling pretty sorry for myself yesterday and was giving in to my tears. Hannah immediately stopped playing, came over and laid her hand on my knee, and said, “Mommy crying.” Then she ran down the hallway and quickly returned with a piece of toilet paper to wipe up my tears. She hugged me gently before returning to play, but she came back several times to “check” on me.
It was such a sweet reminder of how God is present in the little things of life. Even Mommy has a bad day every once in awhile and just wants to throw up her hands and give in to tears! But isn’t it wonderful that God doesn’t do that to us? That He never gets so exasperated with us that He just throws up His hands and wants to lay down and wallow in self-pity?
I am spending the year researching what the Bible has to say specifically about being a wife and mom, and my husband’s aunt was kind enough to give me a Bible for Mothers as a Christmas gift. I am still only in Exodus, but some of the passages that have been used to highlight motherhood have been very interesting.
The passage I read today was actually from Exodus 14 when the Israelites are standing with the Red Sea on one side of them, seemingly impossible to pass, and the Egyptians are bearing down on them on the other side. The devotional pointed out how we each have our own “Egyptians” bearing down on us today – bills to be paid, children to be disciplined, etc. However, the part that really comforted me was Exodus 14:19-20:
“Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,
Coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.”
God wasn’t just there to comfort the Israelites. He actually stood between them and the Egyptians! He lighted the way for the Israelites and cloaked the Egyptians in darkness!
Suddenly, I feel safe. Suddenly, I have comfort. No matter what life may throw at me, God is standing between me and my trials. He is there to protect me and guide me because He loves me! He loves me!
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