In the Arms of Angels

Today I was very suddenly reminded of a beautiful movie our family watched recently called In the Arms of Angels available on Netflix for instant viewing.

Silas came running in the house scratched, out of breath and telling me a story I never would have believed if two of the most honest people in our family (Hannah and Elijah) were not running in on his heals corroborating the whole thing.

Apparently he had been climbing a tree in the woods and was about as high as our two story shop. (30ft) Hannah and Eli say he was that high at least. Silas said he heard the branch he was on begin to break and toss him backwards, falling upside down for what sounds like about half of the way down breaking various branches as he went before his foot got caught in a fork in the tree and held him dangling upside down about 10 ft. or so from the ground! Hannah helped him get his foot unstuck and aside from some minor scrapes, he was fine.

I listened quietly to the whole story before asking Silas if he remembered what happened in the office shortly before he went out to play. He said "Oh...yes! Didn't you and me pray?" I said "Yes Silas, we did pray. But why?" and he said "it musta been to keep me safe!" I agreed that it must have been but I sure hadn't known it at the time. I asked him if he knew who probably moved me to pray and with very sober eyes he said "It was God."

So now I am sitting here asking myself the same question. Why? Why, when I was hurrying to get out an important email and Silas came up to ask if he could keep the quarter he found on my desk, did I turn towards him, suddenly taking him in my arms and holding him begin to pray? Perhaps I was thinking of the unfortunate combination of his love for money and his struggle with laziness? Or maybe it was that I noticed how small his shorts are on him and that he won't be little for long? But for whatever reason, I prayed (out loud) that God would help him have victory over particular sins that he is struggling with and I thanked God for the man He will be. I prayed that He would protect him and grow him for His glory, into the man I know he will be.

Then, I promptly released him... a little embarrassed at my sudden mushy motherliness and went back to work thinking I really ought to get my hormone levels checked again.

I am sitting here so humbled at the sovereignty of my Lord. God knows, controls and ordained before the foundations of the earth, the number of our days. His good plan has been from the beginning. But do we realize that our Father delights in our seeking Him and being moved by Him? Do we realize how securely we are held in that good plan for us? It should move us to pray! A prayer of confidence and yielding... and hope. I can pray for my little son in confidence because God is working all things together for his good. Today it meant a perfectly placed tree branch and a mother's bolstered faith.

The kids and I just sat down and watched In the Arms of Angels again on Netflix instant watch. I held Silas and cried just as much as I did the first several times for it so perfectly portrays the mystery of God's sovereignty and the decisions we do daily make. It's a beautifully filmed movie with breathtaking cinematography and music, and very convincing acting. It's only 14 min. long and I highly recommend just enjoying it right now. It will leave you and your little ones totally inspired to better obedience and humbly grateful for all the grace given in our learning of it.

When 8-year-old Belle Richards disobeys her father, she puts herself and her younger brother in peril from a rock slide that could mean death -- but God intervenes and saves the children. And though Belle never tells a soul about the miraculous rescue, years later, her father finds out exactly what happened during the life-changing event that drew the girl closer to God. Winner of the Grand Remi Award at the 2004 Worldfest Houston Film Festival.

And don't forget to keep praying over your little ones.

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:26-28