My daughter is a college sophomore and for the last fourteen months I've noticed her need for regular "Mommy time" is not as imperative as it once was, much to my dismay. I have raised her to live her own life and when I begin to feel neglected I recall my primary function in her life: to raise her to become an upstanding member of our community, give her principles to live by, and offer advice when needed and wanted. But still, those heart-pang moments are difficult. And when all of our communications are while she is running between classes or when she is among others chatting in her dorm, it is easy to feel less like a priority to her and more like a duty, an obligation, an after-thought. While I know this is not the case and it is just her busy life right now, still the feelings come.
I recently realized it is quite like that with our Father God. We live such busy lives and, much like my daughter, we can forget to sit down and spend time with the One Who loves us. I was reminded of that as I lay awake in my bed in the wee hours two nights ago, thinking about how much I missed my daughter filling me in on her thoughts, her plans, her day. How she was developing into this amazing young woman and I was missing out on the little steps getting her there. And during that early morning hour He gently whispered, "I miss you, too. It's just like that for Me."
Now, we know God is omnipotent and knows us, our lives and everything in them. But even Jesus made time to be alone with God. Earlier that very day I had asked God how to find time to "Be still and know that I am God" in our crazy busy world. Granted, I talk to Him constantly-- while driving, doing the dishes, taking a walk, studying the bible, shopping, even while showering! Multi-tasking. But months ago the practice of sitting down with Him regularly gave way to the busyness in my life.
And now God was showing me through a glaring example: just like I crave time where the ones I love actually want to visit with me, want to share their lives with me, and want to find out what I'm doing these days; so does God. As this revelation cast it's bright light into my brain, I realized that God was showing me how to "be still and know" in the way He does best: through a life-application demonstration. God desires what any parent desires: for their child to want to include them, seek them, love them.
The message was received. And when I rose that morning and began to make my way with a cup of tea and journal to visit with my Heavenly Father for a bit, I checked my text messages first. There, in tiny font, posted some time late in the night, was a note from my daughter that made my heart burst open with happiness. It read: "I'm gonna call tomorrow morning at like 10! Is that okay?" And I felt my Daddy quietly say, "Yes, it feels just like that for Me, too!"
I recently realized it is quite like that with our Father God. We live such busy lives and, much like my daughter, we can forget to sit down and spend time with the One Who loves us. I was reminded of that as I lay awake in my bed in the wee hours two nights ago, thinking about how much I missed my daughter filling me in on her thoughts, her plans, her day. How she was developing into this amazing young woman and I was missing out on the little steps getting her there. And during that early morning hour He gently whispered, "I miss you, too. It's just like that for Me."
Now, we know God is omnipotent and knows us, our lives and everything in them. But even Jesus made time to be alone with God. Earlier that very day I had asked God how to find time to "Be still and know that I am God" in our crazy busy world. Granted, I talk to Him constantly-- while driving, doing the dishes, taking a walk, studying the bible, shopping, even while showering! Multi-tasking. But months ago the practice of sitting down with Him regularly gave way to the busyness in my life.
And now God was showing me through a glaring example: just like I crave time where the ones I love actually want to visit with me, want to share their lives with me, and want to find out what I'm doing these days; so does God. As this revelation cast it's bright light into my brain, I realized that God was showing me how to "be still and know" in the way He does best: through a life-application demonstration. God desires what any parent desires: for their child to want to include them, seek them, love them.
The message was received. And when I rose that morning and began to make my way with a cup of tea and journal to visit with my Heavenly Father for a bit, I checked my text messages first. There, in tiny font, posted some time late in the night, was a note from my daughter that made my heart burst open with happiness. It read: "I'm gonna call tomorrow morning at like 10! Is that okay?" And I felt my Daddy quietly say, "Yes, it feels just like that for Me, too!"
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