Jesus Paid it All

Last Friday, Isaiah pinched his pinkie finger in the bathroom door. It was a quick pinch and didn't do too much damage...But, Isaiah cried. Hard. Of course I went running to him and scooped him up in my arms right away. A mother's heart is ripped out of her chest when her baby is in pain! Thankfully, he quickly calmed down. However, he wouldn't let me set him down. No toy or snack or other enticement was going to get him out of my arms. He wanted his mommy.

I absolutely love holding my baby boy...but on this particular day I was swamped with things to do. I was in the middle of getting ready for the day, baking and cleaning for visitors coming over that night, and cooking for a get together we had the next morning. I quickly went through my to-do list in my mind. Put mascara on while holding a baby. Check. Brush teeth while holding a baby. Check. Pick up the house while holding a baby. Check. Clean the toilet while holding a baby. Umm..... Cut up onions, pull apart two whole chickens, and chop fresh cilantro for white chicken chili while holding a baby. Well.... There are alot of things I can do while holding a baby but, alas, some things can not be done with a 16 month old on your hip and only one free hand.

So, somewhat begrudgingly I headed for the nursery, turned off the lights, and rocked my little snuggler in the rocking chair. Soon, Isaiah wanted me to sing to him. So, I sang. We went through everything from Amazing Grace to Father Abraham. I even resorted to the Barney Song! Yikes! I was getting desperate. Then, out of no where, the Lord spoke to me and brought to my mind one of my favorite songs:

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

And, as I sang it out to no one but an empty nursery and a snugly little boy, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of God's presence and struck with a strong reminder of how "small" my own strength really is. God knew about all the things I needed to get done that day. He knew how tight I was for time. Yet, he reminded this "child of weakness" to take the time to watch, and pray, and find in Jesus my all in all!

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.

I can do nothing without Christ and His strength. All my accomplishments, my goals, my winnings, my positions of status or power mean nothing if I am not finding my all in all in Jesus. If I am not waiting for God's direction in what I do, if I am not basking in His presence, if I am not laying everything down at His feet, if I am not giving Him the glory for all I accomplish, then nothing I do truly matters.

What better thing to do on a busy Friday morning than to take the time to hold my precious little boy and fill his little ears with a message of how the Lord paid it all for us, and thus we owe everything to HIM?

Amber