Leaves & Love

One of the passages that was really impressed on my heart while I was pregnant with Natalie was Ephesians 3:16-21.

“I pray that out of His glorious riches God may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

We had already planned on painting a tree in her room, and I just loved the imagery of her being rooted in the Lord’s love, secure and finding her life in Him.

Well, today we spent some time picking leaves for a lesson plan in our backyard. (I just love our new curriculum by Mother Goose Time, and the chance that I get to go through these fun lessons with them!)

They were so cute with their little buckets, exploring.

Leaf & LoveWe found some great heart-shaped ones.

And with all these recent lessons on what it takes for plants to grow, being rooted, and how plants drink water, this passage came to mind.

As I was reading and discussing the verses with Nat this afternoon, we were talking about how in the same way that plants get water through their roots so that they can grow and live, when we are rooted in God, His love can fill us and help us produce spiritual fruit. And Natalie says, “But mom, I don’t feel God’s love filling me up.”

(Oh, how I get that statement more than she knows. I want to feel it. I want to lay eyes on it. I want to grasp it with my hands and examine it. I want to understand).

I explained to her that we don’t have to feel it, that we just need to ask God to fill us up with His love.

And the sweetest little prayer came next. “Dear God, please fill me up with your love. in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

And there you have it. Such a sweet picture of child-like faith. She understands in a way that I am still trying to grasp that I just have to ask God for what I need, and then go on about my day, knowing that He promises to give me not only what I need, but so often showers above and beyond in His goodness and grace.

And that I don’t always have to feel it.
I don’t have to see or understand.
I can just know because His Word promises.

She is teaching me so much.

 

MGT Blog AmbassadorAs an official Mother Goose Time Blog Ambassador,
I receive free curriculum in exchange for posting about our honest and authentic experiences.