Bedtime routines are sporadic at best around here. I know everyone says a solid bedtime routine is vital for kids and I have tried to set one repeatedly but fail. To be honest by the time we get to bedtime my main thought is just stay in your room and don’t be too loud because all I want is peace and serenity. One thing we do most consistently is pray. Often times the boys ask to pray for random things such as the wall, ceiling fan or a stuffed animal but there are some nights when it is for people. Usually, we just ask Jesus to help them sleep but the other night it went deeper.
Out of nowhere my oldest asks to pray for someone who had hurt him deeply long ago. This in and of its self was not completely surprising. He has prayed for their sleep more than once since he was hurt but he went on. When he was done with the light weight “go-to” prayer, he then told me he wanted to ask Jesus to tell the person not to do what they did again. I told him that was a good idea and he went on to ask Jesus to move on that person.
As a mom, I had to keep my cool – I mean becoming a blubbering mess sitting in bed snuggling his little brother would have been jarring. Yet the impact of what he had chosen to do was not lost on me. There is no way in his 4-year old mind that he can comprehend the power of what he had done but I knew. In his own way he was releasing the person and asking the only person who truly has power to handle the situation, to change their heart.
How often do we hold on to a violation and use it against the person or as an excuse for where we are in life? How often do we just forget to ask Jesus to take care of it for us – sometimes, not for any other than reason than you have not thought about doing so? Jesus, make me like my oldest and help me, remind me, to hand it over to you the only person who can truly fix the hearts of men.
The morning after his sweet prayer we were starting the day off slow and I had turned on Bethel Music Kids Videos and my boys love the “bike movie” so they immediately asked for it. The song they love so much, This Is Amazing Grace. It was the most beautiful poetic finish to a gut wrenching painful story.
This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You’ve done for me
May we always be mindful of His amazing grace.
This is the four year old who got it, well before I did. He is an extender of grace and love.
Loved this, it’s crazy how much kids can amaze you. Such a sweet boy.
I swear it is a daily occurrence in our home by one or all of my boys.