A God who grows

Yesterday, due to a series of odd events, I found a cassette tape of a sermon I first heard when I was 20 years old. In short, it's a message encouraging listeners to trust their Savior, to watch their God grow. It's a good one, and as I re-listened to it, I recalled what the 20 year old Jessica was trying to trust God with at the time she first heard the message. Ironically, I also realized that thing, that wound, was really just a scrape in comparison to what the next few decades would hold.  

I ended up listening to the whole sermon and found myself marveling at how, even though the thing I faced back in 1994 seems so insignificant now, the words of the sermon are still true. Life has gotten bigger, trials grew, but God has risen to every occasion. He has grown (Isaiah 41:10).  Again and again, God proves to be the opposite of almost everything; while most things get smaller the older we get, He grows.

For example, when my youngest daughter has a bad dream, her fear is calmed simply by climbing in my bed. My arms, my kisses, can make most of her pains go away. However, the day will soon come when my kisses won't heal her hurt. Sadly, she will face trials and I am simply human.  I will not grow, only her God will.

There is a great scene from the second Chronicles of Narnia movie in which, Lucy, the youngest child sees Asylan, the Great Lion and the God figure of the story. All of the children are in great danger, but only Lucy sees him beckoning for them to follow. The others, especially the oldest boy, are busy looking for a way to save themselves and refuse to wait for Aslan. Their problems have gotten too large, they have no room for the Lion. He is too small in their memories and too late in their present need. Only when the older children fall asleep, does Aslan come to Lucy. When the two finally reunite the little girl buries her head in his mane and exclaims, "You've grown." He simply responds, "Every year you grow, so shall I."    What a profound truth, what a picture of our God. (Psalm 46:1-3).


I guess what I am trying to say is this, the words of my "antique" sermon still hold true.  My God has grown.  He has continually proven His Bigness and I'd like to live in this truth. I'd like to live with the confidence that no matter what occurs, my God grows. (John 16:33) I'd like to daily snuggle up in His mane and just let Him be big. This doesn't always make the pain go away, but it sure feels good to be protected by such mass. (Nahum 1:7)

I'd love for you to join me.