The Greeting

Last night I went to Alex's school to pick him up from an event and take him to cub scouts. I parked the car and as I started walking towards the doors, my family came out. Anya gave me one of those great greetings that you only get so often (well, at least that I only get so often). As soon as she saw me, I could see she was excited. When I got close enough and could be sure that no cars were coming, I told her it was ok and she ran across to me and jumped up into my arms, giving me a big hug.

It was awesome.

I was thinking about what to write this morning and I thought about that again. I wondered why she came running and jumping when she saw me last night, but lots of times she hardly looks up from what she is doing when I get home.

Then I realized that I am no different than that in my relationship with God. In fact, if anything, I probably come running and jumping into His arms a lot less frequently (if ever). As much as He would love to see that unbridled love and enthusiasm, and as much as He wants nothing more than to hold me tightly, how often do I actually approach Him that way. Instead, I hang back, approach more deliberately or barely even acknowledge His presence in my life.

I believe God wants us to approach Him like Anya came running to me last night. He wants that relationship with us. He wants that type of love. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:5 Or as it is said in the Gospel of Luke - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." Luke 10:27

As a prayer this morning, I ask for God's help in giving Him my heart, my soul, my strength and my mind. I want to continue to grow and to learn to run and jump into His arms with pure joy and enthusiasm and love.



As a brief coda to my post from last Friday, I want to share two things. First, the music during Communion on Sunday was "From the Inside Out." Second, at the youth service Sunday night the youth pastor used Matthew 6:14-15 as part of the basis for his sermon. Since both of these were things I felt called to write about on Friday, this was pretty freaky to me. I will continue to work on the issues I discussed in that post, but I do know that God was trying to tell me something.