POTENTIAL

Even in the darkness of the room, I can see his little face. His perfect little mouth puckers and moves like he is suckling and his menagerie of faces makes me smile. As if reading my thoughts his lips curve upward into a smile (don’t tell me it’s just gas! I am going to stand on the idea that he just likes snuggling with his Nana). I whisper to God, “he’s so small!” In reply, God speaks into my heart, “yes, but he has so much potential.” For a moment I stop rocking. So much potential! My mind begins to wonder about the life God has planned for my little grandson. I could easily wonder if he will be an athlete or maybe a doctor or a chef (he does love his food), but what he is or what he becomes will never reach full potential without God. Ephesians 3:20 is our indicator of the potential God seeks to mature in us. In says “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

From the very beginning, God has fashioned into this little one all the things he will need to be what God intends him to be (Psalm 139:13-16). Yes, they will need to be grown and matured over time, and yes this little one will have to choose to rely on God to lead him in the right way to do this. My rocking continues as I meditate on all of this. Back and forth we go, thinking and praying about his future. Again, I stop as a new thought enters my mind. what will be my purpose in this venture? My rocking resumes as God speaks once again. As his Nana, God places on me the task to love my grandson, to support him, and to tell him of the love that God has for him. I am to come alongside my daughter and son-in-law and encourage them in their role as his mom and dad. On the days when life gets hard, I am to help them to remember how much God loves them and has called them to be this little guy’s, parents. Together, we are charged with steering our little one into a life long relationship with Jesus, who then will help him reach his full potential. It is a collective effort with God leading the way.

Oh, there will be such adventures along the way to discovering the potential God has seen in him. There will be sports and science experiments, nature walks and school. There will be travels and overnights with friends, but among these will be a time to cultivate his love for Christ. Vacation Bible School and Sunday School, junior and senior high retreats and Bible Studies. But some of the most precious will be the bedtime stories and singing softly of the goodness of God in his ear as he is rocked. Oh, this little one is on his way to a wonderful life, for with God the potential is limitless (Phil. 4:13).