I’m laying beside my little buddy and we’re talking about his day. One of the many joys of living in this city is being able to hang out with this one particular family of four. Tonight, it’s just me and the kiddos, and I still count it all joy.
“So how was your day?” I asked.
We talk about random things – playing with trains, making messes, eating McDonald’s, and then we decide to tell stories. I chose to let the Good Book help me out a little. We said some prayers, and I tell him that I’m still going to be here after he falls asleep, and he can come get me if he needs anything, that I’ll be close by.
Then he asks to call his Dad. Not out of the norm, which his Dad had already told me. I dial the number and hand him the phone. “Hey Dad…I love you Dad…I wanted to tell you goodnight Dad…okay…I love you Dad…” That’s all. No crying, no whining, no anything. Just wanted to hear his Father’s voice.
And after that?
Peace. He goes straight to sleep. He’s not upset. He’s not stalling. He just hugs me and says goodnight.
I started thinking. In the same way, how much do I long to hear the Father’s voice? How much peace and rest comes in knowing that He speaks and He listens? How precious is the joy of knowing that He is always there and I can always call upon Him?
My little buddy didn’t need to see his Dad. He didn’t need reach out and touch him. In that moment, all he needed to do was to hear his voice. That was enough.
And y’all, it’s enough for us. It is His voice that constantly reminds me that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” as it says in Hebrews 11. My buddy didn’t have to see his Dad to know that he existed. He knew his Dad enough to know that his voice was the guarantee that He is. There was peace simply knowing that his Dad is.
The same is true of the Father. We don’t, with our human eyes, see the Father, but we know that He exists. How? Because He speaks.
Peace comes from knowing and hearing His voice, believing all that He is and all that He has said He will do. And sometimes a little boy and a bedtime routine have to remind me.
And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
(Mark 4:39-41 ESV)
“So how was your day?” I asked.
We talk about random things – playing with trains, making messes, eating McDonald’s, and then we decide to tell stories. I chose to let the Good Book help me out a little. We said some prayers, and I tell him that I’m still going to be here after he falls asleep, and he can come get me if he needs anything, that I’ll be close by.
Then he asks to call his Dad. Not out of the norm, which his Dad had already told me. I dial the number and hand him the phone. “Hey Dad…I love you Dad…I wanted to tell you goodnight Dad…okay…I love you Dad…” That’s all. No crying, no whining, no anything. Just wanted to hear his Father’s voice.
And after that?
Peace. He goes straight to sleep. He’s not upset. He’s not stalling. He just hugs me and says goodnight.
I started thinking. In the same way, how much do I long to hear the Father’s voice? How much peace and rest comes in knowing that He speaks and He listens? How precious is the joy of knowing that He is always there and I can always call upon Him?
My little buddy didn’t need to see his Dad. He didn’t need reach out and touch him. In that moment, all he needed to do was to hear his voice. That was enough.
And y’all, it’s enough for us. It is His voice that constantly reminds me that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” as it says in Hebrews 11. My buddy didn’t have to see his Dad to know that he existed. He knew his Dad enough to know that his voice was the guarantee that He is. There was peace simply knowing that his Dad is.
The same is true of the Father. We don’t, with our human eyes, see the Father, but we know that He exists. How? Because He speaks.
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,We know He is because He speaks. And His voice, it fills His people with peace. It is filling me with peace when I’m far away from friends who are struggling. It is filling my friends with peace after they lost their unborn baby, with peace as the literal storm rages on the other end of the island, and with peace in my family’s heart even though we are miles apart. There is peace in the assurance that the Maker of the universe is our Father, “and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(Psalm 29 ESV)
Peace comes from knowing and hearing His voice, believing all that He is and all that He has said He will do. And sometimes a little boy and a bedtime routine have to remind me.
And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
(Mark 4:39-41 ESV)
As it is difficult to avoid any kind of self-service by posting, I will just say "thank you", giving thanks to the Father for your insight.
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