He Knows Our Frame May 29, 2007
Posted by Erin in : Scripture Meditation , trackbackJoe,
Thanks for getting us back on track here. It has been busy and we will have another busy time coming up in about 10 days here as we go through another time of transition, but hopefully we can stay faithful with the little time we have!
I have been meditating a lot on Psalm 103:14 lately in regards to parenting. The verse says, “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” This is of course referring to God’s amazing patience with us and the way He bears with us in our sin and struggle to slowly refine us as a people for His own glory. Just to sit and meditate upon that truth, I am blown away at God’s patience. I know just a small fraction of the evil that lies in my heart and to think that God patiently is pruning this away from me makes me marvel.
But as I have been thinking about my patience and forbearance as of late, I have thought about my attitude towards others. And usually as I am looking at my actions towards others, I begin with those closest to me, which would have to be you (my husband) and children. Because we all know the true colors come out at home!
If I would say there is one sin that has been manifested more in being a parent than before we had children, I would say it is the sin of impatience. Before I had kids, I thought I was a relatively patient person. I wouldn’t have said it was a strength, but did not think it was a glaring weakness. Oh, how wrong I was. I realized it about a week in to being a mom when I was trying to console Abby at about 11pm one night and realized how quickly I wanted to give up. All of the sudden it hit me that I was not a patient person.
And this truth has continued to be shown, although God has granted some growth, in the last three years. But as I have been meditating upon this Scripture, I am able to see myself in my little daughter as I parent her. It is like I am seeing myself through God’s eyes. When she throws a temper tantrum, I see the way I had a temper tantrum the other day and God patiently granted me repentance and faith to walk through it. I can see His grieving over my sin because it is not what I was created. I see Him looking at me missing out on the joy I was created for. And although he looks on us remembering our frame, this doesn’t mean He does not discipline us. He does discipline us, but He does it for our happiness in Him. My discipline as a parent is often flowing from a heart that is bothered that my child is not acting the way I want him/her to. But never with God. He knows our frame and our weaknesses and works with us for our joy in Him.
So may we meditate this week about how the God of patience infuses us with patience to bear with the sins of others, especially those of our children who often test us every day. Let us be mindful that our children, like us, are but dust and a work in progress.
Patiently parenting with you,
Erin
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