Don't Make Me Come Down There -- Ever Hear Your Parent Say That?

When I was in elementary, my mom played the organ and my daddy was a deacon and sang in the choir at church. I was always amazed at how my mom could have her hands on two different boards of keys going in different directions as well as her feet below moving in steady motion. Often times, my sister and I would sit with my Mammaw and Pappaw. They had their assigned pew. Don’t ya know. Like every good Southern Baptist. One time a visitor sat down in Pappaw’s pew and I just knew he was going to say something. He didn’t. He grinned at the guest and sat in the row behind them. I don’t remember how many people were members at that time…maybe 500 to 800. If I wasn’t sitting with my grandparents, I was sitting with Uncle Morris who was really like a second cousin or something, or I was sitting on the front row by the organ.

I’m not sure where I was sitting on this particular Sunday, but apparently, I wasn’t behaving. I was probably talking – real shocker, I’m sure. But before I realized it, Daddy had come down out of the choir loft and was standing at the end of the aisle looking at me and gesturing for me to come. I was toast! He put his hand around my arm, and we quickly walked out the back of the church where I was promptly given a whoopin’. If you are from the South, you know that a spanking is different than a whoopin’. I got the worst one of the two.

My parents always told me that if they had to come down from the organ or choir loft, it would not be pleasant. They were correct. It was definitely not pleasant. He walked me back in while I was still huffing and trying to wipe my nose. It was all so very embarrassing, but it did the job, and very effectively I might add.

Today I was reading in Genesis 11, and I saw, “But the Lord came down…” You know, it’s just never a good thing when your Father has to come and get you. It just never is. Like in my case, God’s creations, His children were being disobedient. He had specifically told Noah and his son to multiply and populate the earth, but in Genesis 11, we see that they have decided to build a city and a tower. Their goal – “to make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth”(vs 4). I’m sure none of you have ever been defiant or disobedient, but I was. As a matter of fact, my mom used to tell people that if she told me to sit down that even if I might agree to do it, she was sure I was standing up on the inside.


So…the Lord came down…and not in a good way.

We serve such a creative Lord. Our heavenly Father is so original in His parenting. The people were concerned with making a name for themselves and not serving God. In order to prevent repeated behavior, God confuses their language. Their ability to communicate effectively was removed. At this time, they decide, “Hmm, maybe we should move on.” “God don’t play,” as one of my girlfriend says. If He says to do something, He means it, and when we don’t, He comes down…and not in a good way. His plan is best. We have to trust Him. We need to obey. It is for our own protection and the protection of our families. Obedience is not a sign of weakness. Obedience is a sign of intelligence…How smart are you?