“Hear, My Son . . .”

One of my goals this year is to read through the Bible again. At first, I was a little skeptical if this goal was realistic with two small children since I have little quiet time or alone time during this season of life. But a friend (homeschooling mom of four, ages 7 and under) encouraged me, even when I don’t have time to get alone to read, I can read the Bible out loud to my children. (Why didn’t I think of that?)

Despite the fact that my reading truly is more meaningful and I am better able to internalize it when I am alone, much of the time I end up reading out loud. But hey! I am reading my Bible, and my kids are listening! It’s a win-win scenario.

Lately I have been reading through Proverbs. I have read through Proverbs dozens of times, but never before have I been so moved by its truths.

Much of the book is Solomon imparting wisdom to his son. Often I’m reading during Mara’s nap, while Micah is awake. So it’s just me with my Bible and my son playing on a blanket on the floor. I can’t explain it fully, but this time has almost become my personal prayer time for Micah.

Hear, O son, a father’s [or mother’s] instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

As I read, I think of the challenges that Micah will inevitably face, if the Lord allows Him to live long enough to become a man. I can get overwhelmed by it all if I’m not trusting God–the temptations of friends, the seductions of our media, the devastating effects of pornography and immorality. Even good things (like work) can become tear you down, with the desires for position, power and wealth. More than anything, I long for my son to love God with all his heart, soul and mind; and to pursue God’s glory with all of his life!
So as I watch my infant son–who is oblivious to and largely untouched by the corruption that plagues our world–my reading becomes intensely personal–almost a prayer:

Help Micah to hear, and accept my words,
that the years of his life may be many.
May I teach him the way of wisdom;
and lead him in the paths of uprightness.
When he walks, may his steps not be hampered,
and if he runs, help him not to stumble.

Help him to keep hold of instruction; not to let it go;
to guard her, for she is his life.
May Micah not enter the path of the wicked,
and not walk in the way of evil.

May he avoid it; not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

May Micah’s path shine this way!

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.

Even though Micah is too young to understand, I direct my words to him. I passionately implore him as I read:

My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.

I look up from my Bible at my 9-month-old son, who has been entertained while I read with the rings on his Fisher Price Rock-a-Stack. . . There is something incredibly precious about the innocence that is youth. And yet it all seems so precarious, because of the fallen world in which we live.

Little Micah doesn’t understand yet. He just looks at me with the biggest smile, because I’m talking to him–so he thinks he has my attention. He does. But I’m not thinking of the baby Micah who is playing in front of me with colorful rings on the Rock-a-Stack. My mind is years down the road, having said “Hear God’s words, Micah!” more times than either of us could count. The Micah I’m thinking of is a grown man with a heart that seeks wisdom and understanding, and follows hard after God, whose path is like the “light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until the full day.”