What a way to start the day!
I walk up the stairs to the loft, coffee mug in hand, and see Nick already seated at the table with the Vos Bible in front of him. This is how we begin.
But today, something’s a bit different. He’s sitting there still, in a camouflage print shirt. I look down and notice he has handcuffed himself!
Really? What is he up to? What is he thinking? I don’t know, so I ask.
“I’m thinking how sin is like handcuffs.”
I see. Tell me more.
“Well . . .”
He proceeds with a visual demonstration as I scramble for camera because the sight of this must be documented.
“Handcuffs are like sin. When we stay in sin the handcuffs get tighter and tighter.”
He demonstrates.
“But when we repent, God puts the key in the handcuffs and takes them off and we’re free.”
He demonstrates again.
Hmmm. That’s really cool that you thought of that. And isn’t it interesting that we put the cuffs on but Jesus takes them off? Because once we’re bound, we can’t set ourselves free?
“Yeah. You gonna write this in a blog?”
Want me to?
“Yeah.”
OK. I will.
“Yeah.” Favorite word of an almost 15 year old. He smiles just enough to show silver brackets barely.
We proceed to read our Bible chapter for the day and I think—what a blessing to walk with God through His garden of life and see how He’s growing this sweet young soul and his mom. Nick may have learned lots of academic skills in the past year, but the skill that warms my heart the most is his growing ability to see God and His ways in all things. And Nick helps me learn something new every day.
God is the most magnificent gardener and watching Him grow people is my most favorite thing.
And sometimes the gardener must prune to grow. More on this tomorrow with a story of another son and his mother.
When I was a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:9-12