Trust

I was so tired last night that I wanted to go to bed instead of church. We had a wonderful, light-hearted service with lots of laughter, then we came home and hit the sack. Matthew and I had the boys in bed, and he was getting ready to crawl into our bed. Shockingly, I was already there. I usually ramble around the house an hour or so after the family's all tucked in.

Noah rushed into the room to get more night-night love from Mommy. (I'm hanging on to that word till the very last time he utters it, folks.) After we smooched our last kiss, he trotted over toward the door and collapsed into a heap on the floor, letting out a big "sgaaaagh" as he went down. There was a long pause, then just as I began to say, "Well, Honey, Noah has passed out again," he raised his little head to see why we hadn't noticed that we had a job to do. When he realized I hadn't forgotten about our little game, he lay back down and waited. Daddy walked over, picked him up, and began the short trip to Noah's bedroom. The snores quickly gave way to giggles as joy overtook him. Once Matthew tucked him in, he was down for the night.

On those nights when Matthew and I are too exhausted to put Noah to bed (and there are many), he uses this ploy to get his tuck-in. As our child, he is completely entitled to it, and by george, he's going to get it. I used to do it most nights, but since I happen to be female and he weighs over 60 pounds, I had to pass the baton.

As I lay in bed delighting in the moment, the thought hit me: That's how my Father wants me to be. He wants me to know that it's His joy to take care of me and give to me and just love on me. He wants me to have the trust of a child. He wants me to feel entitled to these things, not because I'm a selfish brat with what I call "entitlement syndrome", but because I'm His child and I'm precious to Him. And just maybe because He knows I'm going to love on Him right back.

"...because your Father delights to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32b).

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Father, help me to love on You by trusting You fully. In Jesus' name, Amen.