Gods order

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Ps. 133:1

Today was a beautiful and warm fall day. There is so much color all around our house in the woods; I decided to take the boys for a walk. We didn’t get too far before they had their own agenda and voiced it to me. They wanted to go to the swing on the hill by our next-door neighbors house. But as we started walking there, a fight broke out about who was going to get on the swing first. My 5 yr old started running thinking that if he just got there first, he’d have the first turn. My younger son just sat down on the trail and cried because he wanted to swing first. Here we go again, I thought. I have to be the judge again. Then I thought of something. I declared loud enough for both of them to hear; “Unless you two are in agreement I cannot push either one of you on the swing”. Now my 5 yr old still needs my help getting up on that high swing so I knew even when he gets there first, he’d still have wait for me to help him. And this time I refused.

When we all stood around the swing, I simply waited for them to make a decision. Somebody had to put the other one first for me to start pushing. I didn’t care who it would be. I didn’t try to make the older one give up or the younger one to submit. I didn’t take sides. As far as I could see, they were both selfish and they both needed the same lesson. So many times before I simply made the decision for them to keep things moving and let them enjoy the blessing faster, but not this time.

After 5 minutes they were still whining and by that time God knocks on my heart and it just dawns on me. It’s just like we are with God, who desires to energize and push us forward in something but we hinder Him because we are not in agreement with each other. I’m the first one to confess how hard it can be in marriage to have a united front in a matter before your children, especially when you are the one spending the most time with them. I’m tempted to think I’m more qualified. But God has established a clear structure of authority by which He grants the blessings. He wants us women to be our husbands helper in leading the family, yet we feel many times we can skip the rules established by God and still receive the blessing. He just can’t move us forward until we are in agreement.

I read recently that it’s not a question of whether you can do a better job than your man by being in control; it’s a matter of doing what you were “designed” to do. It is far more rewarding to honor God’s order than fight for your own. The process and the authority established by God have to be honored before He can “push” us forward.
My sons need to see that I am in agreement and in support of my husband so they understand to honor authority in their own life (obedience to mom and dad). My younger son needs it to see that he has to respect his older brother and the older one needs the example of my humility to have compassion for his younger brother.

So today, focus on being subject to Gods mission and authority in your life one day at a time and leave the end results to Him. Guaranteed your children will benefit and the end result will be more than you think, can dream and imagine.

The boys finally got to enjoy their blessing of swinging by one of them reluctantly putting the other one first. It was a joy for a mom to see and later I rewarded him for it. God wishes to bless you like that.

Encouragement:

Who in your closest circle of family and friends can you be in unity with to see God move in greater ways?