A Babbling Baby
by Shayna Kusumoto, Graphics and Communications
They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. (John 8:27)(whole passage: John 8:21-30)
Did you ever not understand something until much later when you looked back on the memory and it finally makes sense? That happened to me when I was listening to Pastor Steve’s sermon on Feb 13th. The topic was “How Do I Pray?” He was describing his three-month old granddaughter Frankie with so much love and joy in this stage of her life, where all she can do is smile and babble back at him. I could hear the adoration and affection in Pastor Steve’s voice. I thought––wow, he really loves her so much!
Later in his sermon, Pastor Steve was talking about being embarrassed when he first became a Christian because everyone would tease him for sounding like Rocky when he talks, with his thick Jersey accent. But Rocky was a total moron, he thought, so he tried super hard not to sound like that—especially when he prayed out loud.
The story made me remember a time when someone said something really hurtful to me after we had prayed together. This person said he got a picture from God, supposedly, of a baby blowing bubbles and babbling. That was supposed to be me—a babbling baby! Instantly I wanted to cry, thinking that was one of the most belittling comments anyone had ever said to me. I was so hurt.
But in the present moment, half listening to Pastor Steve's message, the truth started breaking into my heart. God began to heal me of that old hurt. Pastor Steve’s words suddenly started making sense. He said:
“Even today when we (Pastor Steve and Frankie) Facetimed, I spoke to her and she greeted me with a big smile and started babbling on about something. It was so precious. Just a little insight into how God may feel when we ‘babble’ to Him.”
I broke down in tears when I realized—I’m the babbling baby in this story, and it’s a precious, glorious, wonderful thing! I never understood that “insulting” vision until that moment. “Oh, Lord, THAT’S what you meant! Wow, You think of me like that?” And as I told the story through tears again and again, my heart healed more and more.
Lots of times when Jesus spoke to His disciples, they just flat out did not understand what He was talking about. They didn’t get it. How could they? Their understanding was so limited. Before Jesus went to the cross, He had explained everything, foretold EVERYTHING to His disciples. They should have known, right? But just like me misinterpreting that babbling baby vision as an insult, they just didn’t get it. They would have to wait until much later before the truth would be revealed to them and they would be saved.
My prayer for all of us is that we would trust and believe God even when we don’t understand at all what is happening or why; that we would be so secure in His adoring love for us; that He is for us and not against us. So secure that we continue to walk with Him with the confidence that all things will be revealed in its due time. It’ll all make sense in hindsight.
As we make our way towards Resurrection Sunday, can we identify with Jesus’ disciples in their cloudy understanding of everything He told them? Can we empathize with them? Can we look back on their experiences and go, “Oh, Lord, THAT’S what you meant! I believe, Lord, I believe!”
Prayer: Dear Jesus, we don’t understand everything. Actually we hardly understand anything. I’m honestly like a baby babbling and blowing bubbles at you—that’s how dim my understanding is of You and who You are. Yet You look at us so tenderly—with eyes full of love and affection. Help our understanding to grow. Help our unbelief. Help us to believe that You are who You say You are, and to believe that we are who You say we are––Your precious children whom You came to save. Amen
