Cherub Learns Lesson #51 About God

I know I use this column for (unsolicited) advice, but this is too good not to share.  A young couple in our church were going to have a baby and, shortly before his birth, learned he would have Spina Bifida.  You can imagine the shock, the desire to learn what it meant followed by more shock. They learned to lean hard on God and that, while God doesn't always give us answers, He's always good!  Mrs. Teacher wrote a story to help Ker-bear and Scasmflop (he chose the nickname, not I!) to always remember God's goodness and read it at her baby shower.... and had everyone of us sniffling and boo-hooing right along with Ker-bear because it was such a good story.  I've been given permission to share it and so I do.  Here is "Cherub Learns Lesson #51 About God"

It was a BUSY day in Heaven! Oh my, so much was happening!  That meant that there were so many things to record in his big book that Angel had been sitting at his desk working steadily for... well... for quite a long while!

All of a sudden, Angel heard a sound he knew very well.  His young friend, Cherub, was coming his way.  Well, not just coming his way, but galloping like a runaway horse AND yelling very loudly at the same time.

"Angel, Angel!"  Cherub slowed to a fast trot as he breathlessly called out "Angel! Angellll! Are you here, Angel!?" 

As Angel stood up to welcome Cherub, Cherub BURST through the door and ran smack-dab into Angel! They rolled across the floor, robes, legs and arms spinning in wide circles.  Before Angel could pull his robes down over his knees, Cherub bounced up beside him, talking very loudly and very fast.

"Angel, God has another baby almost ready to go to earth!  But, Angel, I was watching, and He's not finished with the baby, and He doesn't know it because He's already started His Special Blessing Song.  Oh, Angel, help me tell God the baby isn't done yet! Please, Angel, we have to hurry!  Otherwise God will make a mistake!"

At this remark, Angel knew it was lesson time again.  Yes, indeed, it was time for Lesson #51 about God.

"Come along, Cherub."  said Angel, holding out his hand so that Cherub would lead him directly to where God was at work.  Cherub chattered excitedly about the new baby as they hurried to a special valley known in Heaven as "Babies Place".  As they entered, Someone was singing in a soft voice.

"God your Father loves you so,

Loves you so,

Loves you so.

God your Father loves you so

Now off to earth you go."

Cherub yelled before he even knew what he was doing!  "NO!"  And then, because he was terrified, he hid behind Angel's robes, hoping that God couldn't see him.  But Angel knew Cherub had to learn lesson #51, and so he reached behind his back, caught Cherub's arm and pulled his young friend around to face God.

God was looking right at him!  Then He spoke right to him, "Cherub, do you have something to tell Me?"

Cherub pointed to the baby boy in God's arms and blurted "God, that baby You're holding isn't finished!  Don't send it to its home on earth yet!"

God gazed down at the baby boy and then looked up.  "Yes, Cherub, this little boy is ready to got to his home on earth.  His Mommy's name is Karen and his Daddy's name is Bob.  They are waiting for him right now."

"But, God, his back isn't finished and his feet need a little more work!  Can't you please just finish him before he has to go?"

"Cherub, would you like to hold him?  His name is Carson."

Cherub looked up at Angel who nodded his head yes.  Cherub ran to sit beside God, but God pulled him right onto His lap and put little baby Carson in Cherub's arms!

God began speaking so softly that only Cherub could hear His voice.  "Cherub, you are very young.  Some things are not going to make sense to you right now.  Cherub, do you trust Me?"

As he thought about his answer, Cherub counted the baby's tiny fingers - yes, there were ten.  "Yes, I trust You."

"Will you trust Me even though you don't understand what I am doing in Carson's life?"

Cherub counted Carson's toes - yes, there were ten.  "Yes."

"Carson's mommy and daddy already know that Carson will need some finishing work on his back and feet.  But, Cherub, they know, and they already love him so much, they can hardly wait for his arrival."

Cherub continued touching the baby's soft skin.  "They know he's not finished but they love him anyway? Really God?"

"Yes, really."  God and Cherub looked at each other, and then Cherub hugged God's neck with all his might.  "God, I do trust you.  I'm sorry I yelled at you.  Will you forgive me?"

God hugged Cherub very closely and said in his ear, "You are forgiven, Cherub.  Now, would you like to sing My Special Blessing Song with Me before Carson goes to meet his mommy and daddy?"

As they watched Carson being whooshed over the edge of Heaven, carried in his guardian angel's protective arms, God and Cherub blended their voices in joyous song (of course, Cherub sang the loudest!)

God your Father loves you so,

Loves you so,

Loves you so.

God your Father loves you so

Now off to earth you go!

Later, as Angel and Cherub walked back (well, Angel walked, but Cherub - he ran back and forth looking at all the flowers beside the path), Angel asked Cherub, "What did you learn about God today?"

Although Cherub continued to examine a big yellow sunflower, he answered immediately and loudly, "God never makes mistakes!"

"Cherub, one more thing you might like to hear is a chorus that Carson's mommy and daddy learned as a choir song at their church.  It goes like this:"

God is too wise to be mistaken,

God is too good to be unkind.

For when you don't understand,

When you don't see His plan,

When you can't trace His hand

Trust His heart.

After a rare moment of silence, Cherub asked "Angel, isn't that like Proverbs 3:5 and 6?"

And, of course, it is.

THE END (for now)

By the way, the little Sweet Potato is over 3 months old now..... Does this look like God made a mistake to you?!?

Also by the way, if you know someone who has Spina Bifida kids, or who knows someone who knows someone.... This is a good web site for information, support and connecting with other parents of Spina Bifida kids.  It's wonderful!

http://spinabifidakids.blogspot.com/