I replied, “God is not a Genie. Genies exist to fulfill our wishes. We exist to fulfill God’s wishes.”
I’ve been thinking about that. We exist to fulfill God’s wishes. How does that sit with you? Is God just another guy hogging the covers, trying to get some time with you? Or do you see him as the one who cares for you, who covers you with his love, who is intimately involved in the messy and mundane details of life? Today my son was dancing around the house calling himself a genie. I asked him why, and he said, “Mommy! That’s what you told me! We are all little genies; we are here to fulfill God’s wishes.” I couldn’t have said it better.
Lesson Three: “I’m too scared” and “I don’t want to” … essentially the same thing.
I’ve been blessed with two clones. My oldest son is my husband’s mini-me and my daughter is mine. It’s like I get to live out all of our marital joys and challenges when watching the two of them interact. As a driven, take-charge female, I see my daughter figure out a plan and act. As a reserved and thorough male, I see my son consider the possibilities and wait. When a challenge comes along, be it picking up the play room or brushing teeth without mommy’s help, my son’s default “no” is “I’m too scared.” My daughter’s is “I don’t want to.”
What I’ve learned from watching them is that those are the same things. Sometimes I don’t want to do what God’s asking. I might tell him I’m too scared, or I might tell him I don’t want to. But essentially what I’m saying is that I don’t trust that he’s got a good plan for me. When I make a choice to go his way (and it seems that choice is put before me as often as my children’s need for snacks) I’ll experience a Great Adventure from the Greatest Adventurer ever. When I watch my son and daughter, I realize that learning to put myself and my needs of the moment aside is choosing God’s plan rather than my own. A wise woman said to me, “Take care of what’s dear to God, and he’ll take care of what’s dear to you.”
So today’s another day that I can make that choice. Great Adventure or Bataan Death March? Living like God is my Genie, or being a little genie myself? At least in this moment, I’m making the heart-choice to take care of God’s little treasures, and let Him take care of me.
