HOW JESUS RESPONDS TO OUR FEAR
Singing "Jesus Loves Me" sparked an unexpected nap-time revival in Grammy's house this week.
We resurrected the portable crib from the basement, baptized the stuffies in soapy water, and hoisted a blanket tent to celebrate.
It's been a while since anyone truly rested in our family.
It's been a season of tossing and turning, packing and unpacking, finding room for disappointment, and wrestling with thoughts like "If God is good, why is life so hard to figure out?"
It was mind-boggling to think that because of a simple "Jesus Loves Me," we could finally lay our burdens down.
Still, the 2-year-old needed some convincing. Even with Big Sissy camped out alongside her, she needed someone bigger to keep the monsters away.
"Grammy, can you fit?" she asked, patting a sliver of space on the pallet.
I was too big, but I didn't hesitate to make myself small.
Sometimes, words aren't enough for unsettling places. We need a hand to hold.
As I drew near, I watched my sweet girl's fear give way to peace, causing me to reconsider my place in God's heart.
If a human grandma is willing to meld into difficult places to prove her love, how much more will our faithful God?
In John 11, we read about Mary and Martha, two sisters looking for peace amid their fears. They knew Jesus loved them, but something awful happened that made Jesus seem very far away.
It's as if they pointed to the only spot left in their messy hearts and said, "Jesus, can You fit?"
Jesus could have rushed past their pain to the joy of their brother's resurrection. But to demonstrate the depth of His Love, He had to travel to their most hopeless place that feared God's love would only go so far.
Verse 35 says, "Jesus wept."
Translated in the NTV (New Toddler Version), it reads, "Jesus fit."
Jesus doesn't stand outside our pain, humming "Jesus Loves Me" through the door.
Instead, Jesus enters our suffering, holds us close, and weeps with a perfect love that makes all monsters flee.
So, invite Jesus into your unanswered questions, sleepless nights, and hopeless situations.
God is great. God is good. His love revives your soul even when your faith is small.
Jesus fits.