"I KNOW!"

My little Jed-man recently turned 4 and instantly he now knows everything!! It's turning cold here in Iowa so as he heads out the door I tell him, "Jed, you need a coat." He responds, "I know!", but doesn't stop long enough to put one on. Then later in the day I tell him to pick up his toys...you guessed it, he says, "I know!" That evening while he's helping his big sister Joy make cookies I encourage him to listen to her and he again shares his famous phrase. Joy quickly responds, "Remember Mom, he knows EVERYTHING!!"

Initially, I laughed at her words because I was a bit thankful I wasn't the only one tired of this short little phrase, but the laughter didn't last long. It was then God spoke to my heart and said, "Jill though you don't verbalize those words you often respond in the same way." Can you say "OUCH?!?!"

As a Mom it was frustrating to hear and see my son respond this way. You see he knew, or claimed he did anyway, everything I said to him, but often chose to do nothing with that knowledge. He knew he needed a coat, but did he put one on? No. A few days of hearing this and seeing it were about enough to drive me crazy!!

Well, until God intervened and showed me I do the exact same thing!! I KNOW I should earnestly seek God, but as a busy wife and mom that means getting up EARLY, so do I always do it? No. I KNOW I should submit to my husband, but do I do it willingly and joyfully? No, not always. I KNOW I've been given the fruit of the spirit, but am I always patient? No. I KNOW God is faithful, but do I always trust and obey? The pattern continues - No.

I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the idea....every time I'm frustrated with Jed's famous line God convicts me of using it myself. Friend, I believe God is leading me to share this story for a reason, two of them actually - one as an act of obedience and two because I'm not the only one who needs to be convicted.

Is there something in your life that you know but still choose to do nothing about? Perhaps YOU KNOW you need to forgive, but choose not to. Maybe YOU KNOW you need to trust God, but you still spend your days full of fear and waste time by worrying. Or YOU KNOW God wants a relationship with you, but you choose to run from Him.

Friend I don't know what you know but God does and just like I get frustrated with Jed I believe God as our Father gets frustrated with us when we do nothing with the knowledge we possess. Today can I encourage you to act upon what you know! 1 John 2:4 says, "Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." If we know Him let's do all we can to live like we do!!

Finally, here's a look at my Mr. Know It All, the boy who can frustrate his momma!! But know this, my love for him will always be bigger than the frustration caused by him! And as the perfect parent, the One who sacrificed His Son, I believe God says the same about me, and you. Oh today I pray we can live, act, serve, speak and love in a way that makes Him proud!!