Immediately
the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark
9:24 ESV)
There is a syndrome that affects loving parents
across the world and is has done so since the beginning of time. I call it, ‘Lord I believe, help my unbelief!’
Typically the condition doesn’t manifest right away.
No, as new parents, we confidently stand before God and others and dedicate our
children to the Lord. We plan brunch, invite friends and family, choose frilly
outfits for our sweet, precious babies and in front of witnesses promise to
raise them in a God-fearing home, entrusting them to His care. We believe fully
in what we are saying. But then . . . we have to let go.
We let go of the baby carrier, taking a sniff of the
new-baby smell as we leave them with a sitter for the first time. Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!
We let go of sticky little fingers, as we guide them
up the school bus steps. Lord, I believe!
Help my unbelief!
We let go of their passports as they pry them out of
our fingers and disappear behind airport security barriers, setting off for college
or a backpacking adventure. Lord, I
believe! Help my unbelief!
These are the times when those simple, heartfelt
words spoken at their ‘child dedication’ can begin to stick in our throats.
It’s no longer about frilly outfits and brunch. Rubber soothers are gone and
the rubber is hitting the road. Faith-filled words are now put into action. And
it’s hard.
I think of my sweet, dear friend, ‘Nadine’, who had
to let go of her son, Kris, well before she was ready. Labor started right on time and everything
looked good. But when they hooked up the baby monitor, it was discovered that
the precious child she had carried and anticipated for nine months was already
in the arms of the Lord. He was gone. Yet, the pain of childbirth and holding
his lifeless body still lay ahead. Oh the painful loss of letting go!
Some would say that Kris never came of age, but we
know that’s not true. He lived the life that was laid out for him since before
time began. And his parents found it a privilege that they were chosen to be
his, even if it meant having to let go of the plans that they had designed for
their son and trust in the Designer who knit him in Nadine’s womb.
Lord,
I believe! Help my unbelief!
This is the cry of every parent’s heart. We have
times filled with belief, and times where we struggle with unbelief. The Father
knows so well how hard it is to let go of a beloved child! So wherever you are
in the journey of ‘letting go’, remember that our empty hands are not to hang
limply at our sides, but to cling to the Lord, the One who entrusted us with
their care for a season.
Father,
forgive us for holding on so tight and for making your precious gifts into
idols. We thank you that you have proven to be a faithful Father and that we
can trust You with our precious children. Help us to believe and when we do
lack faith, to cry out to You for a fresh filling and a clearer vision of just
Who you are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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