The other day, while at the dinner table, I was poking fun at my wife with an old R. Kelly song, "I Believe I Can Fly."(Check out on youtube) I facetiously sang through the chorus adlibbing here and there. The kids picked up on it, sang, laughed, and carried on for a time. Stacy thought we were out of our minds. It was fun.
Since then the kids have been singing the song relentlessly. It is almost annoying. Just when you think you have gotten the tune out of your head, here it comes again screaming repeatedly in many different manipulations. First, it is the frantic I drank too much sugar and I am about to have a coronary tone that curdles your blood and takes several good years off your life span. Then comes the growling like a dog tone that is usually accompanied with a Russian march with their legs stomping the floor, shaking everything loose off the walls. Finally, they crescendo with a slap on your butt and a woo hoo for good measure. Well… that is my kids anyways. They have some of me in them and I guess some of that is to be expected.
Nevertheless, today Naomi was singing the song as usual. Except, today, she added her own little piece. As she was standing by our hutch looking at some papers or what not, she began to sing, "I believe…with God's help… I can fly." Did you catch that, "with God's help", I can fly. Stacy and I giggled a little and affirmed her confession.
Naomi's confession was an unadulterated overflow of her understanding of the sovereign care of our God. It is no Westminster Confession, yet, however, it is a building block to that end. In an un-manipulated situation, she voluntarily sang a truth she is beginning to believe. Stacy and I do make it a point to ask many questions about God in certain situations. We also point out truths in creation or circumstances when the opportunity arises. This time however, we were just bystanders. Spectators if you will, of a divine taste of spiritual fruit. A taste we do not experience very often.
Like many families, ours have not arrived as of yet. We have our issues and God has been very merciful and patient with us. Our kids are learning and make many mistakes, as do we as parents. Many times Stacy and I feel very inadequate in our parenting. We feel that way because it seems like our kids should be further along than they are. It seems like we will move a step forward, to only move three steps behind. Moreover, on occasion, we will move five steps forward and really feel like we have it together, to only stall and stay stagnant. It can be discouraging at times. Therefore, when these times happen, we feed off them. They give us hope.
Naomi's little statement of faith in that song helps keep our vision alive. We have a vision for our children. We want them to radically love Christ and his supremacy in everything. We want them to be saturated with God's word and genuine in their faith. We pray this for them and try to live it out in our daily lives. This is where I believe she has seen the credibility of this truth. Aside from our family devotions and scripter memory times, our children see the gospel played out. They have heard our conversations in some of our weakest moments exhorting our utter dependency on the supremacy of Christ. They have seen things done in the name of Jesus that has given some footing to God's provision. We try to include them in ministry opportunities where they can witness God meeting the needs of His people. They have also seen us ask for forgiveness for our sin. They are a part of our spiritual growth as much as we are a part of theirs. These things have helped Naomi to begin to form an understanding of God's ability and power to do amazing things; even help us fly if he so chooses.
Naomi does not know that R. Kelly is speaking metaphorically. She is thinking in literal terms. In her mind, she is singing a song about literally flying. Therefore, when she sings "I believe with God's help I can fly", she believes that God has the ability and power to help her to fly; which she knows humans cannot do on their own. She is declaring the truth with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), even flying.
Every day we try to teach our children, as we are learning ourselves, that we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). We try to intertwine in their being that God is in the heavens and can do as he pleases (Psalm 115:3), and that He gives and takes away as he sees fit (Job 1:20-22). Moreover, every day we need to lift our cup empty before Him (Psalm 16) pleading with Him to fill us with His fullness (Ephesians 3: 19). We try to bestow on them that we are utterly dependant on our God. We have nothing. He is everything. We are vacant and bare. He is our all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28; Ephesians 1:23). With this dependency, we are at the mercy of our God and in desperate need of his help.
If you are like us, you are pleading with God for the salvation of your children. Naomi has made a profession of faith. I am not entirely sure where she is in her walk with God. She is young and has not wrestled adequately with the issue of her sin. However, I do see blocks of truth and faith being laid on her foundation from time to time, such as this one. We have to continue on praying, pleading, proclaiming, and being proactive in bestowing the glory of Christ crucified to our children. I believe God will honor our efforts as long as we keep Him at the center. If that is the case, then I can rest assured in saying, "God is at work. And what He is doing is working." Go on girl, with God's help…fly!
