When we were babies our parents carried us everywhere. We were carried in their arms, in slings, in strollers, and yes, in carriers. There came a time as we grew that we learned to crawl. Our parents still carried us a lot as was necessary. I have never seen a baby crawling behind his mother down the aisle of a grocery store next to his walking older sister. The idea is ludicrous, but at that age a child can sure scoot around the house. Then they reach that next stage. My grandson Baiden is in that stage of walking, almost truly running, and he will wear you out trying to keep up with him at times. At other times though he's the one exhausted. Toddlers simply have no idea what it means to pace themselves. It's all out or done.
Baiden has reached that point where sometimes he wants to be carried only to hear his Dad or Mom telling him that he is a big boy now and needs to walk. Of course sometimes they still carry him. He's not quite two yet. But other times they make him walk whether he wants to or not. It's important that he use his legs, learn to balance better, grow stronger, etc. The only way to grow in strength and ability to walk is to walk.
There will come a time when Baiden will grow to the point where it will be rare indeed for him to be carried by his parents. There will likely be times of joy in relationship as Justin carries Baiden on his shoulder, perhaps even when Baiden is as old as 5 or 6. I pray that it doesn't happen often or with anything majorly serious, but it's possible that Baiden may need to be carried at some point after an injury. My father has carried at least two of his grown sons in his arms, because we needed to be moved and couldn't walk.
But at no point in this process with Baiden going from being carried all the time to almost never is the insistence that he walk a rejection. Neither Justin nor Brooke, or any of us his grandparents for that matter, rejecting him when we refuse to carry him. He's getting to that age when relationship is growing precious. Babies are amazing, but toddlers can really interact.
My point in all this rambling is simply this. Many of us have times when we feel we have been rejected by or forsaken by God. But Jesus has promised to never leave or forsake us. I feel forsaken, but Jesus said I'm not. Sometimes what we feel as rejection from God is God letting us, helping us grow. Justin and Brooke aren't rejecting Baiden by making him walk, but you'd never know that by listening to him fuss at first about not getting carried as he wants. But when he sees he isn't going to get his way, he surrenders to the adult, reaches out, takes a hand, and walks. Before long he's smiling and often trying to swing from the hand of love helping him walk.
Abba, thank you for knowing better than I when I need to be carried and when despite how I feel I am strong enough to walk. Thank you for making me walk, even though some of those times I want to be carried. I know it makes me stronger and teaches me to trust You. Help me not to feel rejected when You refuse to carry me, but let me instead simply take Your hand and walk beside You, swinging from Your loving arms. Amen.
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