The Devil and the Cheer

Keziah has been having a hard time going to sleep these last couple nights.  During the day, we of course, talk about God and the supernatural and at times the Devil comes up as a topic of discussion:  Why did he want to be God?  Where does he live?  And Luke always adds,  "I am going to kill him!"  There is a sort of fascination or curiosity when it comes to the supernatural.  I remember as a kid my mind played tricks on me and I'd "see" things in my room...and I was positive that sometime during the night, a witch would come into my bedroom and pull down my covers.  The only reasonable explanation after always finding my blankets off my bed when I woke up in the mornings.

Well, recently, Keziah has raised the subject of Adam and Eve and the Devil using the snake to trick Eve into eating the fruit.  I told her the story and she would ask questions and just chat to me about the whole scenario.  These last two nights she started behaving fearfully at bed time and wanted her door open (she already uses a night light) and she kept saying that maybe there was a snake in her room and she thought the devil would be in the snake.  I talked to her and prayed for her and even had her repeat in her sweet authoritative voice the truths of God's love for her and what He says.  But tonight it was the same deal:  difficulty going to bed.  After another reminder that God loves her, and that she is His daughter and He takes care of her and after insisting that the Devil didn't want to come into our house because of Jesus in us, I left the room to go and tend to the baby.  Antony checked in on her after 10 minute and she was still in there with her eyes wide open.  She was just wound up as tight as a spring.  Shortly afterwards, Antony came out and called to me and said, "Quick!  Come here!"  So he leads me right outside her bedroom door and I hear her sweet little voice saying:  "I. Am. A Child of God!" in a little cheer-type chant.  I stayed outside that door and heard her say it over and over with great conviction.  No less than 100 times.  Antony told me he talked with her and then walked out and turned off her night light and left her in the dark to repeat that simple phrase so that this crazy fear thing would be broken.  I sat in my living room and prayed - asking the Holy Spirit to comfort her with His love and peace and that this would be something she would remember - and that she'd sense His love enveloping her in that bed.  After a minute or two, the chant slowed in pace and her voice got softer and softer until she fell asleep.

Now, I know that she may not understand the fullness of what being a child of God means, and although I have a greater understanding, I am still learning what that entails.  But hearing her say it over and over stirred something on the inside of me!  I am a child of God.  I, am a child of God.  I.  AM.  A CHILD OF GOD!  I just pictured her saying it over and over in her bed - my sweet little pumpkin, facing that big fear with those 4 incredible words.  I was thinking about our positions as children of God and how confidence in our position as His children should help us face our own monsters in our lives.  Financial, marital, relational, physical, mental, past, present, future, shame, guilt, etc.  What monster has been terrorizing you, keeping you up at night, causing you to bead up with sweat at the mere thought of it?  Our position - our stance - our perspective - these are important in being free from the Frankenstein's in our lives.  If I keep my eyes on the ugly monster and forget that as God's child I am loved more than my mind can comprehend, I will miss the opportunity for my Heavenly Daddy to show me His moves in taking that thing down!  But it's remembering who we are and making our offensive from that revelation - I. Am. A Child of God.

What comes to your mind when you think of the aspects of being a child of God?  I'd love to know your thoughts!