Why Do You Hide Your Face From Me?

Being a mother brings about many challenges. I try hard not to see those challenges as situations that have to be negative, but situations I can learn something from. Well… my  three kids have thrown me just about all the “teach-able moments” I can take this year. Just when I feel like my brain can’t learn anymore, God in His goodness, takes some of these moments and shows me a completely different way to see them.

I love all of my children equally. They are each very different from one another, so Donny and I have to learn to love them “differently.” Nae is my oldest, and my only daughter (thank God). I love to give here a hard time and tell her “Yes you are my favorite…my favorite daughter.” Seriously though, I have an immense love for her that I don’t think I could have for anyone else, simply because I had her so young, and she’s been through it all with me. Then there are the twins… oh the twins! They were definitely a shock to our lives, but once the shock wore off I realized I couldn’t imagine my life with out them. Makai is the youngest of the two. When I say the youngest, I mean youngest by twenty minutes. The doctors wanted to let him just take his sweet ol’ time to make his way down, and into our lives. That was quite alright, because it just gave me plenty of time to spend with the oldest of the two, Tre.

My Tre. With just about two or so pushes he was out, and in my arms. I remember just loving on him while we awaited his brothers arrival. As I stared at his sweet little face, something in me knew there would be some things about him that were just different. Everyone told me that I was reading too much into it, or that I was comparing him to his brother (and I probably did sometimes) but I just had a feeling, and I believe that a mother knows more about her children than anyone else does. Time went on, and there were indeed some areas in Tre’s development that needed further attention. He has never been officially diagnosed with anything major, just some developmental delays that we sought out professional assistance for. He is incredibly intelligent…like REALLY smart, and extraordinarily sweet. He is my special boy, and I most definitely love him with a different type of love than the other two.

One of the special little quirks Tre has, is he doesn’t like to make direct eye contact all the time. We have a little signal we have to use with him to get him to look us in the eyes when he is speaking to us. This is a common trait of his, especially when he wants to ask you for something. The other day I was in my office with Donny just shooting the breeze, when I saw a head full of curls peek from around the wall. At first we pretended not to see him. With his eyes almost closed, and head down he shuffled into the room to ask for a snack. I said to him “look at my eyes if you want to ask me for something.” He lifted his head up just a little and opened one eye and asked again. I said yes, his face lit up,  and he followed me to the kitchen. Before handing over his snack I looked at him using our little signal and said “You don’t have to hide your face from me when you want to ask for something, you are brave and strong, and I want you to be BOLD ok.” With a quick OK, he scurried off to enjoy his snack.

I couldn’t seem to get our little conversation out of my head. Why did he feel he had to hide his face when he had a request of us? Well, I could ask this same question of myself sometimes when I go to my heavenly father with request. At times, because of my past, I’ve struggled with coming boldly before the throne of God. Why do we do this? In Romans 8:1 it says there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ, yet I still feel some type of way when I come to him. There is probably some type of heart check that needs to happen on my end, however the word of God is quiet clear on WHY we CAN come boldly before the throne.

In the book or Romans 8:31-39 it explains it perfectly.  What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[a]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”.

Because of God and His sovereignty, we are able to come boldly before the throne. It isn’t because of anything we have done to deserve this type of love, it is simply because of His unfailing love for us. I adore all my kids, and I long for them to know that they can come BOLDLY (and with a respectful tone…come on now!) and ask us for what they are needing.

I pray as this year comes to a close, that you would recognize, and accept the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. It is a love like no other, and isn’t something that you have to work to earn. God gave up His one and only son, that you may have everlasting life! As we enter into 2019, allow yourself the privilege of living your best life with Christ. Peace out, and let us Journey on into the new year!