Loud and Clear

Worship Leader Grace Balint sings "Zephaniah 3:17"

One Week Old Jesse Spencer Agee. 

photo credit: Caleb Jones Photography

Loud and clear. That's how God was speaking to my heart during my first week of caring for our first grandchild, Jesse Spencer Agee.

God was showing me in a new way that He never changes no matter how we behave; that He is faithful to keep every promise to His children and He daily opened my spiritual eyes to this Scriptural theme: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:6). The more time I spent with Jesse, the more I saw this beautiful, loving promise from our Shepherd.

And this is especially remarkable because even before my first week with him I was daily praying for God to "open my eyes to see truth and know the truth and to give me wisdom to know it and believe it." (Side note: Isn't that something we all should be praying daily for: wisdom, truth, and faith to believe?) 

Well, God has delightfully astounded me in the way He is answering that prayer during my precious time spent with Jesse!  He is a very sweet, cuddly baby. We call him the "Little Man with the Big Personality" because he's very alert to his surroundings, very responsive with his expressions when we talk to him, off the charts with his physical abilities, and acknowledges bright colors and ceiling fans! 

I discovered when I put him down to change a diaper or put a dry onesie on him, he sort of panics, or begins to whimper as if to say, "Don't leave me! What are you doing? How could you let go of me?!"

Now I knew what I was doing and it was all for his good, his well-being. You know, gently caring for him and to even let him get his little aerobic exercise of scooting from one end of a blanket to the other!  I knew he was safe and his needs were met, so I put him down. But He doesn't know yet that I am always close to him watching him -- even while he sleeps -- because I stay in our family room area with him.

This little scooter is becoming a trailblazer! 

He gets anxious when he thinks he's going to be abandoned because he's an infant! Now entering just five weeks of age! He only drinks milk. He can't handle consuming a steak, a baked potato, and a fudge brownie sundae! LOL! He has to grow teeth! He's not ready. He's got to mature physically, spiritually, and emotionally. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3).

His godly parents, Matt and Mary (Balint) Agee, have already been reading the Bible to him even while he was in the womb,  "bringing him up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Joyfully, willingly following Jesus is the lifestyle for their household. 

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use [of studying and knowing Scripture] have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14).

But Jesse isn't there yet. I talk to him gently as I change his diaper or put him down on the soft blanket to do his "scooting" across the blanket. At first he is acting unsure until I keep talking to him and rub his little back. I can see he realizes, "Oh, I'm still ok, nothing hurts, my diaper is dry and I just was fed...ok, I won't fuss." Then he either starts his famous scooting or falls asleep on the blanket! LOL!

"...He grants sleep to those he loves..." Psalm 127:2

By mid-week I was clear what God was doing. He was showing me Jesse only wanted assurance that he was not left alone. When he believed he was left all alone he began to panic. But he wasn't left alone. I was two steps away from him. It was easy to console him. And so precious. We're like that with God, right? We panic when we don't believe God's countless promises to be with us at all times: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20) and "I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God" (Isaiah 41:10). 

Now that I was hearing God loud and clear in a new way, look how God spoke again: Jesse and I were heading back to our home and he was calmly riding in his infant car seat for almost 20 minutes. In my rear view mirror I could see his little hands moving like he was waving them. Then I heard him start to quietly whimper just a little bit. I looked in the rear view mirror and knew what was happening. He acted like he was wondering: "Why did she leave me all alone strapped in this thing? Where did she go?  I can't see her but I feel her presence. What's going to happen to me? I'm all alone! Who will help me?"  (Is this us, too?)

So I reached my arm back to him and gently touched one of his waving hands. I started to rub it while I was driving. He stopped whimpering almost immediately! So I held his little hand and he held my finger for the rest of the brief ride we had left. He was calmed. 

Isn't that like us? Our true comfort and security come when we draw very close to God. Right? Whenever we draw close to God He is ALWAYS there with His hand reaching toward us! I know it's true for me! 

And I believe God is going to continue to reveal and remind me of more truth from His word as Jesse and I spend more time together each weekday. I pray He will do it for Jesse, too!

Do you want to hear from God loudly and clearly, too? You can. He says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Polly 💖
Shining the light for the glory of God!
Matthew 5:16