“I see the moon,
The moon sees me…
The moon sees the one that I want to see
God bless the moon
And God bless me…
And God bless the one that I want to see.”
I remember my mother singing that song to me when I was very young. My grandparents lived in another state, and I’d wonder what they were doing at their house at that very moment.
I’d stand on my bed, pull the curtain aside, and peek out my window at the moon. I clearly remember holding my breath at the beautiful sight, and asking how God could make a light so big and bright. How did it stay up in the sky without falling? Could people everywhere see it, or was it just hanging over my town?
I was not quite three years old, filled with a curiosity so huge and intense, I thought I’d burst if I didn’t get my questions answered. Thankfully, my parents had patience. Lots of it.
Does the moon feel cold?
Where does it go when the sun comes up?
How come it sometimes looks round, but shrinks later on?
Will it ever fall to the ground and hit my roof?
I don’t remember ever questioning the fact that God made that big flashlight in the sky. I sometimes pictured kids in faraway lands, asking the same questions. Did their moms sing them the same song?
“God bless the moon
And God bless me…”
My mother’s matter-of-fact answers planted a simple seed of faith in my young heart, which helped me move from curious questioning to a point where I could relax in my heavenly Father’s care. In time, my barrage of questions gave way to a tender awe. I had the answers I needed. All was well.
God made the moon, and He had everything under control. The moon was a permanent part of the sky. It was not going to hit my roof. When I understood God’s role in the universe, I also settled into the fact that He made me, too. He saw me long before I was born. He knew that my eyes would be brown and my hair curly.
A young child’s faith is so very fragile. Each question is an opportunity for us adults to listen with our hearts as well as our ears. Parents who pay close attention to a child’s curious questions are in store for a precious moment: the birth of awe.
When that day arrives, seize the moment! Scatter seeds and see that they’re watered often. Then step aside and allow the Lord to work.
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”–Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
©2008, Bonnie Bruno
For more slice-of-life stories, visit Bonnie’s Macromoments blog: http://macromoments.blogspot.com