I'll Never Leave You

Today we did much better at walking in God's Spirit than we did yesterday. Yesterday was Pout Day and much time was wasted, until one of us decided to be happy. The English teacher was not at all amused... but today we did things differently.

Sitting on the edge of his bed this morning, I'd asked James if he would comply today with my wishes. He sweetly agreed, but within two minutes, that resolve was tested. I firmly held him to his promise, and things went well.

During the day, whenever he'd would suggest an alternative to what I'd just instructed him to do, I'd say firmly, "No, I will decide what we will do." All day long I gave him only two or three choices, and the day ended without even one negative episode. If he is going to develop that God given ability to lead, he needs first to follow well.

At breakfast we drew an oolitsa, a road, on the table top and made two finger people walking along it. One was Jesus. Jesus stayed consistently on the straight road, and as long as the other person stayed next to Him they were safe and happy. When Peter made his finger person stray to the edge of the table and fall off, "Jesus" reached down to pull him back up to safety. Jesus never, ever left him.

Yesterday I had left them in their beds at rest time to run to the school to pick up Rob. In those ten minutes, the two of them had huddled on one bed and called Skipper to join them. Peter dramatized for me when I returned how he had shivered in fright when Skip had barked. It was then I realized those little kids had probably never been alone at the orphanage.

However, James told me that one day his mama had left him, walked away and not come back. He was eight years old and had to find work. So, when I taught them Jesus' words, "I will never leave you," his eyes went very big and fixed on mine. So did Peter's. I said, "Mom will never leave you either." These little guys have a familiarity with life and death that most other children their age have hardly touched. So I told them that even if some day Mom should die, Jesus would still never leave them.

Like Peter and James, I need Jesus nearby all the time. He is my dearest Friend and Counsellor. He said, "without me you can do nothing," but that He'd never leave me. Life with Him is a good, straight path full of interesting and wonderful blessings. All His ways are so beautiful. Praise God.