How Big Is God
By Phil Scovell
He was 8 years old. He had been complaining his stomach hurt
during school and was unable to eat his lunch. Other signs had
been peaking out of his young personality and emotions, too, but
now they were beginning to be displayed physically.
After he entered my office, I moved and sat down on a ledge
which allowed me to approximate his eye level. He was nervous and
moved around in his chair as THOUGH he were uncomfortable.
I talked AIMLESSLY with him for awhile about various things
before approaching the subject of school. Eventually I said, "I
hear you haven't been feeling well in school."
"Yeh, I guess so," he said and fidgeted in his chair.
"You weren't able to eat your lunch today because you felt
sick?" I asked.
"Yeh," he answered with no embellishment.
"How were you sick?" I questioned. "Was something hurting?"
"My stomach," he said and he wiggled.
"What about your stomach?" I wanted to know. "Was it upset?
Did you feel nauseated?"
"Not really," he said vaguely.
"Did your stomach hurt?" I said; already knowing the answer
from what I had heard earlier in the day.
"Yeh," he replied.
"Have you felt sad lately?"
"Yeh, I guess so," he confirmed.
"About your mom being gone?"
"Yeh, about that."
"You know your mom is safe and with other Christian people
and is doing very well, don't you?"
"Yeh, I know that," he answered.
"But you are still worried about her AND MISS HER I bet?"
"Yeh, I am," he admitted.
"She'll be able to start coming home on weekends pretty soon
from the drug home. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeh," he said as he moved some things on the desk.
"So do you think that maybe your stomach was hurting because
you were missing your mom?"
"I don't know," he answered.
"It would be ok if that was it," I assured him. "What were
you thinking about when your stomach hurt like it did?" I asked.
"My mom."
"I see. Well, I'm not surprised. She has been gone for
awhile and I know you miss her a lot. I want you to know that it
is ok to be concerned about her and I understand why your stomach
hurt. Sometimes our own thoughts and feelings cause us to hurt in
our body about things. Did you know that?"
"Well, I guess so."
"Well," I said, "It's true so it wasn't wrong for your
stomach to hurt and it isn't wrong, or bad, for you to miss your
mom. Everybody would feel that way."
He said nothing but continued moving around in his chair as
he tried finding things to do with his hands.
"Is it ok if I pray with you?"
"Yeh," he replied.
"Ok. Let's just pray for a minute."
"Lord Jesus, there is an 8 year old boy here who misses His
mom and his stomach has been hurting because he hasn't seen her
for awhile. He is worried about her, you can understand that
Lord, and I am asking you if you have anything you want him to
know about his mom and where she is right now?"
After a few seconds of silence between us, he responded by
saying, "He said that He will take care of my mom and that she is
ok."
"Did you just make that up?" I asked, "or what?"
"No, I heard it."
"Heard it where?"
"I heard it sort of in my thoughts," he answered with
confidence in his voice.
"Well, that's good then," I replied.
"Lord, Jesus?" I continued, "Is there anything else you want
him to know right now?"
"He said He knew I was missing mom but He was with me, too,
and even at school."
"Does that seem true?" I asked.
"Yeh," he replied, "it does.
"Where did you hear these words?" I asked.
"I heard them in my head like I did the first time," he
answered.
"In your thoughts?" I asked.
"Yeh. In my thoughts," he confirmed.
"Great," I answered.
"Lord Jesus? Anything else that you want him to know right
now?"
Silence.
"I don't hear anything."
"Do you feel uncomfortable or afraid or scared or sick or
anything at all right now that isn't like you normally feel?" I
asked.
"Nope. I feel ok."
"Nothing bad?"
"Nope."
I explained to him in basic child terms what he had heard was
the Holy Spirit the dwelled inside of him and that what he had
heard was from God. I explained that whenever he felt bad or
scared or worried about his mom, or anything else for that matter,
to let his teacher know or to tell me or someone else and they
would be happy to pray with him. He said he would. It was over
in less than 20 minutes and he left my office.
My grandson was living with us while his mom was in drug
Christian rehab. The ache in his heart was more than I could
imagine, although, I had some idea since my dad died when I was 11
years old. I was concerned he was beginning to responded
physically to the pain and loneliness he felt but as I questioned
him, he seemed quite confident that he indeed had heard the Lord's
voice speaking to him. He never had the problem again. Soon his
mom, my daughter, came home to live.
Question. how big is your god?
Answer. Whatever you believe.
Question. How big is your God?
Answer. As large as your mouth.
["15. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch
them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the
kingdom of God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
(Luke 18:15-17).
It Sounds Like God To Me.
www.SafePlaceFellowship.com
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