Hey Brother,
Having your first child is an overwhelmingly emotional experience. In your arms lies your perfect little angel. And they are perfect, aren’t they? A unique combination of two people with only the good parts thrown in and none of the bad. You look longingly at your little angel and know that they can do no wrong.
Unfortunately, reality sets in rather quickly, and you remember Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” And that most definitely includes your new little baby.
When my son was born, I was blessed to be able to take time off for paternity leave. I survived the nights by simply not sleeping. I’d stay up late, binge watching sci-fi and home makeover shows with my new buddy, all so my wife could get some much-deserved rest. But then, something horrible happened. I had to go back to work!
Suddenly my late-night TV buddy turned into a harbinger of dread and despair. But somehow, I pressed on. My wife even dubbed me “the baby whisperer.” I could calm our son with scientific precision. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of bragging about my new-found skill set.
That night, he would not be comforted. In fact, I’m pretty sure all those nights before were just a test so he could systematically figure out my weakness. No amount of shushing, no amount of swaying, no amount of swaddling could calm our little… angel. Worse, my son had developed a new technique I like to call “the alligator barrel roll.” This dastardly movement involved him arching his back out of my arms and then suddenly twisting as violently as he could in an attempt to make me drop him.
I called out to my wife for help. “He’s defying me!” I yelled.
“He’s two months old,” she replied. “He can’t defy you.”
“Oh yes, he is!” I growled back. “I can tell!”
We eventually got our son to calm down, but the angelic image of him in my mind had been shattered. He was a fallen human with a sin nature all his own.
In the two years since, he has yet to prove me wrong. For some reason, that night still stands out in my mind. All I wanted to do was take care of him. All I wanted to do was comfort him, but he didn’t want my comfort. He didn’t want anything to do with me!
How often do we behave the same way towards God? He seeks to comfort us and give us peace, but we fight against Him. We want our way, and we want it now even if it’s to our own detriment.
Jesus said in Matthew 11 verse 28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” But do we always go to Him? Or do we do things our own way, in our own strength, and struggle against Him?
We are as newborn babes. We are weak. Our way and our strength will not comfort us. Thankfully all we need to do is stop fighting His comfort and let God take control.
For all you parents out there with your own newborn banshee, just know it does get better…and then they learn to talk back. May God be your strength… you’re gonna need it.
Kristopher Galuska
Family Radio Staff