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By: Tim Wolff
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
- Psalm 23:1-3 (NKJV)
They say the only thing more difficult than parenting a two-year-old is parenting a three-year-old. I can’t say that brings me much comfort as my oldest is only two but wowzer are the terrible twos frustrating. The number of times I’ve told my son that throwing dirt at the dogs is not ok. The number of times I’ve told him wrestling his 7 month old brother is not a good idea. The number of times I’ve told him to stop crying because brushing your teeth and being tortured are not actually the same thing. (Those are just today’s examples.) Yet, despite all the irritation and aggrivation my son can cause me, there is nothing I wouldn’t give to keep him safe or to care for him. There is no amount of holes he can dig in my freshly grown grass or cups of water he can dump out of the bath tub that would make me stop loving him. And that is coming from a fallen human.
When we entered the intentionally disobedient stage of toddler, I grew a deeper appreciation for the God that we serve. Every time my son frustrates me, I think of how I may have frustrated God that day. Every time my son stares me down while nudging his cup of cherrios closer to the edge of the table, I think of the many times I’ve blatantly disobeyed God. But that doesn’t change who God is. That doesn’t change the way that he cares for me or loves me. That doesn’t make him want to stop providing for me. He is our shepherd. He leads us to the places we need to be. He provides for us what sustains us. He protects us from those who desire our doom.
I often find myself anxious about what life has around the corner. Worried about how I’ll be able to make this event work well or how I’ll find enough people for this thing or what’s going to break next that I have to find the money for. We like to think that we’re better behaved than two-year-olds, but if we were honest or if we asked God, I imagine he’d say we’re maybe marginally more obedient. But, while we shouldn’t takes notes on obedience from the shortlings, I find it interesting that my son never asks me if we’ll have more food in the fridge next week. He’s never once asked me how much it cost to have the AC repair man come over to play. He has yet to make sure the doors were locked before he went to bed. He trusts that I will take care of those things. He believes that I have his best interest in mind. Again, he thinks those things of his sinful father.
The number of times God has provided for me does not warrant the worry I have for tomorrow. The number of times God has protected me does not justify my fear of what’s hiding in the dark. The number of times God has led me to the perfect pasture does not legitizime the nights I’ve laid awake thinking about what life will be like in 5, 10, 15 years. My God is the perfect Father. My God is the perfect Protector. My God is the perfect Shepherd. Because he is my God, I shall not want, I shall not fear, I shall not worry. Maybe we need not take obedience lessons from toddlers, but I think maybe we could learn a thing or two about trust.