Veggie tales is a big hit in our house. Silly songs is a staple and Charlie will randomly break in songs like “Stand up, stand up for what you believe in”, and “oh no, whatcha gonna do, the king like Daniel more than me and you”. With it being Christmas time, we have been watching some of the Christmas Veggie Tales shows. One of Charlie’s favorites of the season is The Little Drummer Boy. Over the past few days, Charlie has been having a difficult time sleeping. He has been crying and acting like he is scared we are going to go away or something.
He will cry and plead with us to not leave him or to come and get him when he wakes up all hours of the night. He is so tired at this point that he has bags under his eyes. It was the other day while watching Little Drummer Boy again that I realized why he might be acting like this. In the beginning of the show it looks like the little drummer boys parents have died in a fire (spoiler alert, at the end it ends up they didn’t die). Since the weird sleeping behavior happened about the time we began to watch that show, I was heart broken to realize that Charlie may be scared to loose us like The Little Drummer Boy seemingly lost his parents, and that maybe he thinks that if he doesn’t see us that means we won’t come back. What a sad and scary feeling that must be for him to think that the people who say they love him the most won’t come for him when he calls.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
I bet for some of you it can feel like God has turned His back and that He won’t return. Like He has closed the door on you, left the house, and maybe even the planet. It appears that He is gone, doesn’t care anymore, doesn’t love you, and is never coming back. Typing that sounds harsh, but I bet it can feel harsh.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
What Charlie didn’t know though was that we were there the whole time. Sometimes we were right behind the door, sometimes in our room but we were never too far where we could not hear him. Just like a parent is never too far away, God is always right behind the door, and has always been there even when you have not heard His voice and it has appeared that He has been absent. He sent His son Jesus to be born in the most extraordinary manner, to be born of a virgin to show us that He is near. That’s like pulling out all the stops, because being born of a virgin is by all humanness impossible!
“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
Isaiah 42:16
Over the next coming days we plan to spend extra time assuring Charlie. We will continue to pray with him and tell him how brave God made him. We will continue to sit with him and tell him that we will be there when he wakes up. We will gently tell him we love you very much and we will always be there for you. Just as an encouraging parent would assure child I believe He wants to gently whisper to you I love you. I am right here. I have always been right here. I will always be right beside you. I am never out of prayers reach. I sent my only Son so you could know my love, so that you can know that I am near. I am right behind the door. Trust in me. Believe in my promise. Knock. Seek. You will find Me standing right there. I will go with your wherever you may go.
Beautifully written!
Thank you ☺