Micah has learned how to say “no.” Before, he used to just shake his head or push away whatever he didn’t want, but now he says “no” quite emphatically, and with great pleasure.
When the little word immediately gets the results that he wants, he smiles and savours the power of that word.
“Please come down,” I ask, and he looks straight in my eyes and says, “No.”
“Time for bed!” Grandpa announces, and Micah clings to his toys and says, “No.”
“Let’s change your nappy!” Roy suggests, and Micah runs away, looking back long enough to say, “No.”
Sometimes, we tell him he has no choice and carry him, kicking and crying, to the bed or change table. But sometimes, we have to honour this growing independence.
After all, he is his own person, and there are some things we cannot force. If he doesn’t want to eat, we cannot wrench his clenched teeth apart without causing him to choke on the food. If he doesn’t want to read a book, we cannot anchor him to our laps.
So we coax, plead, and bribe him to get into the pram, to eat his veggies, and to tuck his inner wrestler away as we change his nappy. Sometimes, there are tears (on both sides). Sometimes, there is just frustrated resignation (on both sides).
And at the end of a long day, I ask God, “How do you do it? How do you have the patience to give us free will? How do you have the self-control to watch us delight in selfish, short-sighted decisions? How can you trust us and give us such benefit of the doubt?”
For I often say “no” to God. And I enjoy it. And when He coaxes, pleads, and bribes me with promises and rewards, like a child, I think I am in control. And when I don’t get my way, I throw as good as tantrum as any toddler.
But He still gives me the power to say “no.”
And it’s through that realisation, that God suffers long on my behalf, that I am learning the power of saying “no” –
No to my own timelines and plans, no to my own desires, and no to the lies inside my head.
There’s a song that I love; the lyrics say:
I was just a child, when I felt the Savior leading
I was drawn to what I could not understand
And for the cause of Christ, I have spent my days believing
That what He’d have me be, who I am
As I’ve come to see the weaker side of me
I realize His grace is what I’ll need
When sin demanded justice for my soul
[Chorus]
Mercy said no
I’m not going to let you go
I’m not going to let you slip away
You don’t have to be afraid
Mercy said no
Sin will never take control
Life and death stood face to face
Darkness tried to steal my heart away
Thank You Jesus, Mercy said no
For God so loved the world, that He sent His son to save us
From the cross He built a bridge to set us free
Oh, but deep within our hearts, there is still a war that rages
And makes a sacrifice so hard to see
As midnight fell upon the crucifixion day
The light of hope seemed oh so far away
As evil tried to stop redemption’s flow
[Chorus]
And now when heaven looks at me
It’s through the blood of Jesus
Reminding me of one day long ago
[Chorus]
That is the power of “no.”
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14