When Grace mis-pronounced His Name: God's Grace

When Grace Mis-pronounced His Name!

By Aaron Schulman

            I love it when Grace asks me to come and sit by her side to read a book to her.  She has her favorites, and it does not matter what time of the day it is, she is always asking me to do something.  Earlier today, she came into the kitchen where I was working, and said “hum eere Daddy”  (meaning “come here Daddy”).  So I followed her into her room where she had her little pink couch set up as she was reading to her little brown bear.

            Then she said “down” as she sat and was patting her hand on the couch next to her, looking at me expectantly.  So I sat next to her and she unfolded her little “Hug-a-Bible” and immediately began to point to the different drawings as she proudly told me what they were in her own little language.  We have been working on some phonics videos and we interact with her so much that she is really learning to be able to communicate these pictures with us.  She began to point to the birds, then the people, and the flowers, and the different colors, while proudly telling me what they were.  We went through the story of Noah and the Ark, and I would say “Dove” and make a “coo” sound and she would do the same.  And I would point to the Ark and say “boat” and she would do the same.

            We went on for some time like this, story after story.  We went through the Moses Story, pointing out the baby Moses in the reeds, and then David and Goliath, as she growled at the giant.  Then we got to a picture of Zaccheus in the tree, where Jesus was standing and talking to him.  She pointed to Zaccheus and said “people” and “tree”.  Then I pointed to Jesus and said, “Jesus” and she responded, “Newness”.  I said it again because I wanted to hear her clearly.  Again I pointed and said, “Jesus” and she said “Newness”.  Each time I said Jesus, she could only pronounce, “Newness” and I was amazed at this simple revelation from the mouth of a child. 

            When Jesus approached Zaccheus, Jesus came offering Zaccheus “newness” of life.  Zaccheus was somewhat of a traitor to his countrymen, and was a bit of an outcast, yet when Jesus came and befriended Zaccheus, Jesus restored “newness” to the life of Zaccheus.  And then I realized that Jesus does this in all of our lives.  We are finite – in constant need of “newness”, while Christ is infinite, with an endless capacity to supply the “newness” that we need:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.   (Psalm 1: 1-3)

            This is a picture of the real fountain of youth.  The man who stays out of the counsel of the wicked and in the law of the Lord will always bear fruit as his roots are always refreshed by the newness of the Lord.  In fact, when I am getting worn out and bitter, I know that it is because I have dried out my roots a bit and have invested too much time and energy away from His streams.  Sometimes if I spend too much time away from His water, it is more difficult and laborious to soften and get renewed.  Yet regardless of how challenging a day has gone or how badly I have missed the mark, it is refreshing to know that because of His Grace, His compassions are new every morning.  There is a newness awaiting me every morning that I awake.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV)

            Out of the mouths of babes. . . As little Grace mis-pronounced the name of Jesus, perhaps her mis-pronunciation was not an accident.  Perhaps God was using this little one once again to inspire the truth about His newness every day.

When have you needed God’s newness?

What can you do to get your roots soaked again – to get back to his Newness?

Have you ever had a really bad day, only to wake up and feel the weight of that previous day? 

Perhaps it would help to simply ask God to show you His new compassions that He has for you every morning.