I am in St. Louis this week, taking a class...so close to graduating. When we broke for lunch yesterday, I walked over to the apartment complex where I am staying. I opened the main door to the building, and was overjoyed to see an adorable little girl. She seemed to be around 18 months old, she had fine, wispy blond hair, and big blue eyes. She had on a pair of cute pink boots, and a big blue parka that was zipped to her chin. She had obviously either just come inside from the cold, or was bundled up to go out. At first she didn't notice me, for
she was completely caught up in the joy of playing on the steps.
She'd go up 2 or 3 steps,
then down,
then up,
then down,
giggling the whole time.
As I watched her, I kept expecting her mom to come around the corner, but after a minute or two of waiting, I became concerned, so I sat down with the baby girl to talk to her.
"Hi! Do you know how cute you are? I am Twila. What's your name? You are having a great time on these steps, aren't you?"
Of course her answer to my questions was simply a tilt of her head with a questioning look in her eyes.
Then, still acting as if she could have a grand conversation with me, I asked the question,
"Where is your Mommy? Do you know? Do you live in one of these apartments?"
Immediately, as this little one recognized the name 'Mommy', she looked around, and realizing that she was apart from her mother, she formed a sad pout on her face. All of a sudden, she missed her mom deeply, and wanted to be with her.
Before any tears fell, though, the back door opened, and in came the little girl's mother. She was having a hard time getting this girl's brother to come inside from the playground. As soon as the little girl saw her mommie, who obviously was near and dear to her, she ran as fast as she could to her, and wrapped her arms around her mother's legs, loving the reunion.
As I walked on to my apartment, I began to wonder about times in my life when I have been distant from God, my Father. Times when I wandered away for a bit - not intending to, but still drifted away.
Maybe it was a time I was praying and got distracted by the phone - but never came back to my prayers.
Then there was last Sunday when I was caught up in the sermon, only to find myself in the next moment listing out in my mind possible places we could go for lunch.
How does the song go? Something like, "Lord, I am prone to wander, I can feel it."
Yes. That is so me.
There are a myriad of reasons why during those moments, days, weeks, and sometimes even months in my life, I wander away from the One I love. Many of them are wonderful blessings in my life that I have allowed to overtake who I am and what I do...
Family. Books. Friends. Serving. Relaxing.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of these things. In fact, they are all great blessings for me. But when they become the first thing I think about when I wake up, what I focus on all day, and what is the last thing to cross my mind as I drift into sleep, then there is something vitally out of balance.
When I become aware of how much I am trying to draw life from these areas of my life...on my own...apart from God...that is when I pause and find myself feeling weak, tired, empty. I am like the little girl enjoying the thrill of the steps, until she realizes that something greater is missing from her life, at which point the steps lose their power, and all she can think about is reconnecting with her mother.
Are you in a place where you have shelved God? Are you so distracted with life that you have unintentionally walked away from time with Jesus? If you are completely honest with yourself, have you tried to find meaning and importance in the blessings God has given you, rather than in God Himself, who, alone, is the only One who can breathe new, refreshing, strengthening life into you?
My prayer for you (and me) today is that God will stir within you a longing to be close to Him again. And as you find Him, whether it is in His Word, through prayer, from a friend who reflects His goodness, in the sunset, or wherever He meets you...may your heart rejoice in the reunion! And may the words on your lips be, "The Lord is great!"
Psalm 40:16
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!”
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