"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
John 3:8 (NAS)
I am always amused at how God chooses to speak to me. Could it be that if I spent more consistent time in the Word with Him, He would not have to go to such lengths to get my attention?!
Don't answer that!
My husband went to see the Carolina Panthers play today. (Courtesy of a SWEET friend!) He's not a die-hard fan of the Panthers, but he is a die-hard football fan. So, he was very excited to watch a NFL game live in their stadium. While he was gone, JP and I cleaned around the house a little and helped Nanny put the ornaments on her tree. When we came home, I put him in the bathtub and then we watched the Elf on the Shelf movie for the FIFTEENTH time! I'll admit, I was BARELY listening. I was just enjoying my five year old snuggling in my lap!
For those of you who are not familiar with the Elf on the Shelf, he is an Elf who comes to "live" in your home a few weeks before Christmas. Each night, while you're sleeping, he flies to the North Pole to report to Santa on your behavior. Good or bad. When you wake up each morning, he has moved to another location in your house and you have to find him. It is really cool! There is ONE rule, though. YOU CANNOT TOUCH HIM! He will lose his magic and will not be able to fly! How devastating that would be! Or, at least it would in my house!
In the movie, the older brother is having a hard time believing in Santa. In an attempt to "test" the Elf's powers, he dares him to fly around the room before his finger reaches his hat. Of course the Elf does not move, so the boy knocks him to the ground. You may be asking yourself the same question I did about this time in the movie...Why did the Elf not just fly? Well, after falling, his Elf friends sneak up and return him to the North Pole. Turns out, he had the same argument I did. "Why can I not just fly around the room and show him my powers?! It would be so easy and then Tommy would believe!" He screams in frustration. *This is the good part* The girl Elf looks at him, appalled that he even had to ask, and says, "You know you cannot do that! It is important that people not have to SEE Christmas magic to believe in it. It is something you feel inside your heart. That's when you TRULY believe."
How profound.
To me, God is sort of like that. I shouldn't have to SEE Him to know He's there. Yet, too often, I ask Him to "prove" Himself to me. I want Him to PROVE to me that He's listening. It is easy to believe God exists and loves us when we see Him working around us. It's not until things turn bad, or don't go our way that we question His "magic." I am thankful that God used this cute movie to remind me tonight that just because I may not feel His strong hand or see Him working, it doesn't mean He's not!
Just like the Christmas "magic," I can feel Christ in my heart. That's all I need to know to TRULY believe.
P.S. If you have young children, the Elf on the Shelf is a GREAT investment! He comes in a box with a book to read. It explains the story of the Elf. As a parent, I HIGHLY recommend it!
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