© Copyright 2007 by Phil Scovell - All Rights Reserved
30
How Big Is God
By Phil Scovell
He was 8 years old. He had been complaining his stomach hurt
during school and was unable to eat his lunch. Other signs had been
peaking out of his young personality and emotions, too, but now they
were beginning to be displayed physically.
After he entered my office, I moved and sat down on a ledge which
allowed me to approximate his eye level. He was nervous and moved
around in his chair as THOUGH he were uncomfortable.
I talked AIMLESSLY with him for awhile about various things
before approaching the subject of school. Eventually I said, "I hear
you haven't been feeling well in school."
"Yeh, I guess so," he said and fidgeted in his chair.
"You weren't able to eat your lunch today because you felt sick?"
I asked.
"Yeh," he answered with no embellishment.
"How were you sick?" I questioned. "Was something hurting?"
"My stomach," he said and he wiggled.
"What about your stomach?" I wanted to know. "Was it upset? Did
you feel nauseated?"
"Not really," he said vaguely.
"Did your stomach hurt?" I said; already knowing the answer from
what I had heard earlier in the day.
"Yeh," he replied.
"Have you felt sad lately?"
"Yeh, I guess so," he confirmed.
"About your mom being gone?"
"Yeh, about that."
"You know your mom is safe and with other Christian people and is
doing very well, don't you?"
"Yeh, I know that," he answered.
"But you are still worried about her AND MISS HER I bet?"
"Yeh, I am," he admitted.
"She'll be able to start coming home on weekends pretty soon from
the drug home. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeh," he said as he moved some things on the desk.
"So do you think that maybe your stomach was hurting because you
were missing your mom?"
"I don't know," he answered.
"It would be ok if that was it," I assured him. "What were you
thinking about when your stomach hurt like it did?" I asked.
"My mom."
"I see. Well, I'm not surprised. She has been gone for awhile
and I know you miss her a lot. I want you to know that it is ok to be
concerned about her and I understand why your stomach hurt. Sometimes
our own thoughts and feelings cause us to hurt in our body about
things. Did you know that?"
"Well, I guess so."
"Well," I said, "It's true so it wasn't wrong for your stomach to
hurt and it isn't wrong, or bad, for you to miss your mom. Everybody
would feel that way."
He said nothing but continued moving around in his chair as he
tried finding things to do with his hands.
"Is it ok if I pray with you?"
"Yeh," he replied.
"Ok. Let's just pray for a minute."
"Lord Jesus, there is an 8 year old boy here who misses His mom
and his stomach has been hurting because he hasn't seen her for
awhile. He is worried about her, you can understand that Lord, and I
am asking you if you have anything you want him to know about his mom
and where she is right now?"
After a few seconds of silence between us, he responded by
saying, "He said that He will take care of my mom and that she is ok."
"Did you just make that up?" I asked, "or what?"
"No, I heard it."
"Heard it where?"
"I heard it sort of in my thoughts," he answered with confidence
in his voice.
"Well, that's good then," I replied.
"Lord, Jesus?" I continued, "Is there anything else you want him
to know right now?"
"He said He knew I was missing mom but He was with me, too, and
even at school."
"Does that seem true?" I asked.
"Yeh," he replied, "it does.
"Where did you hear these words?" I asked.
"I heard them in my head like I did the first time," he answered.
"In your thoughts?" I asked.
"Yeh. In my thoughts," he confirmed.
"Great," I answered.
"Lord Jesus? Anything else that you want him to know right now?"
Silence.
"I don't hear anything."
"Do you feel uncomfortable or afraid or scared or sick or
anything at all right now that isn't like you normally feel?" I asked.
"Nope. I feel ok."
"Nothing bad?"
"Nope."
I explained to him in basic child terms what he had heard was the
Holy Spirit the dwelled inside of him and that what he had heard was
from God. I explained that whenever he felt bad or scared or worried
about his mom, or anything else for that matter, to let his teacher
know or to tell me or someone else and they would be happy to pray
with him. He said he would. It was over in less than 20 minutes and
he left my office.
My grandson was living with us while his mom was in drug
Christian rehab. The ache in his heart was more than I could imagine,
although, I had some idea since my dad died when I was 11 years old.
I was concerned he was beginning to responde physically to the pain
and loneliness he felt but as I questioned him, he seemed quite
confident that he indeed had heard the Lord's voice speaking to him.
He never had the problem again. Soon his mom, my daughter, came home
to live.
Question. How big is your god?
Answer. Whatever you believe.
Repeat. How big is your God?
Answer. As large as your mouth.
"15. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch
them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of
God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
(Luke 18:15-17).
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst
of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the
same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven,
(Matthew 18:1-4).