Vacuum Monster

My son, Benaiah, is terrified of the vacuum cleaner.

My floors have been and are a wreck! (I have two dogs that shed.) Ugh!

The other day I was thinking about how much I love my son.  And when he is frightened he clings to me.  He knows that I am his place of refuge.  His place of safety. He knows that I will never let him go.

When I take out the vacuum, Benaiah stops whatever he is doing and stares at the monster waiting for its next move.

Benaiah slowly eyes it, crawling around it by a foot.  He clings to my legs.  Every now and then he'll touch it to see if it will bite.

I pick him up.  Straddle him on my hip.  I begin to vacuum.  He stares cautiously at the noise maker watching its every move.

I thought about the monsters in our lives that come out of the closet.  These monster's could be our finances, our pride, our family, our friends, our fear of failure, our doubts, or our unbelief

When circumstances or feelings come from the closet to show their ugly face, do you stare awhile and run away to avoid danger? Or do you cling to a place of refuge in Jesus and let Him battle the monster?

How many times do we try to battle the monster on our own?   I am still learning to continue to find rest and comfort in the arms of Jesus.

I need to become more like my 11 month old son.  Although I try and teach him things everyday, he teaches me more.

Let the owner of the world hold us and handle the monsters in our lives.