Not What We Deserve

I'm slow. It took me two whole days to notice that something wasn't right with my 4yo daughter's hair. She has curly hair, so I chocked it up to general messiness, and didn't give it much thought. She's been brushing it herself, so it was only when I took the brush in my own hands that it became real clear that it had indeed. Been. Cut.

Once I was able to speak, after the initial paralyzing shock, she told me in detail how her friend had taken her into the closet and cut all sides of her hair. She had then put it in the trash, where I found it gingerly placed between various layers of kleenex.

Of course, her father and I were stunned and we continued to question her about this event. I decided to go to our friends house and see if their 7yo daughter had anything to say about all this. I took the offending locks of beautiful curls with me and presented them to her. She was baffled and clueless. It was at this point, several hours into the discovery of the cutting, that daughter relented and confessed that she was the one that had cut it. By herself. Fortunately, for me, I did not enter my friends house in anger.

Speechless. Horrified. Grief-stricken. Sick. Humbled. That about sums it up.

There sat my beauty, with "SINNER" stamped across her forehead! Literally. Well, figuratively, but obviously across her forehead! I apologized to her friend, called the husband, and drove home to deal with this "lying, deceiving", little girl. I put her in her room, while I continued in my non-stop praying for an answer. I walked in her room and found her sitting on her bed with her picture Bible in front of her--opened to a cross on a hill. This was a first.

This day--Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread--commemorates the day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. It was on this day that He took each and every one upon Himself, becoming sin, covering us with His blood, though we are wretched and shameful. It was a day like this one.

Luk 22:7 ESV Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.

I looked at my precious girl, I told her once more what the day represents and I realized, this was my chance--prepared by the Father--to let my baby know she is forgiven. What Sa*tan meant for evil, God meant for good. I could punish her. I could ground her. I could do so many things, but this day isn't about us. It's about Him. We sat down together and read about how very much God loves us and what it means to be a child of the King. How nothing we do can separate us from His love; that He never leaves us.

I asked her what she thought she should do next and she offered up her sorrow and asked forgiveness. She said she wanted to tell her friend that she was sorry. And she said these things without my promptings. I was a bit impressed, but mostly relieved. She does see the truth and recognize it. I think the Lord is glad for this victory in her life and I'm glad that it was THIS day, now unlike any other day.

So then, we cut her hair. Again. This time, in sadness, we lopped off the remaining curls and uneven edges. We also talked about hair cuts, who gives them, and when! It was then that she admitted that it was because I had recently cut off my long hair, that she had cut hers. *Sigh*

We spent the evening with the same friends. Sharing a time of communion and worship. Talking and praying about our own "Egypts" and our personal "wanderings" in the desert and how we have our liberty in Christ Jesus. Remembering His death. Continuing to feel the presence of the Lord.

Luk 22:8-20 ESV (8) So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it." (9) They said to him, "Where will you have us prepare it?" (10) He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters (11) and tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' (12) And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there." (13) And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. (14) And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. (15) And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (16) For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (17) And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. (18) For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." (19) And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (20) And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.