Not long ago, at bedtime, this discussion ensured:
2-year-old (excitedly): Jesus coming?
Me: He’s probably not coming for a while, sweetie.
2-year-old (disappointedly): Oh.
Me: Were you hoping Jesus was coming?
2-year-old: Yeah.
Me: What were you hoping to do with Jesus?
2-year-old: Play cars.
Our conversation reminded me to expect a God who is there for us both in the present and the future, playfully near, even when we don’t know when, why or how.
Our children are doing theology, and here’s what even my 2-year-old understands: The point of the divine isn’t a crystal ball, life insurance or earthly favors. The point is the presence of God. The point is the incarnation. The point is that God is with us, holding our hands, running alongside us, even when we’re in pain. Maybe even playing cars with us! God with us is always the point, no matter what the future may bring.
This message is excerpted from “Bedtime theology” by Lisa A. Smith in the November 2020 Gather magazine.
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