I drove home from work, parked my car & headed up the path where Jacob (my 2year old son) met me with a hug. As soon as we got into our house Jake said; "daddy outside" and motioned toward the back door. When i told him i'd like to sit down for a while he became very agitated, shouting "daddy outside" over and over, louder & louder.
Grabbing my hand he began to pull with all his might, screaming at the top of his lungs "DAAADDDEEEE OUTTSSSIDE" with tears beginning to roll down his cheeks and desperation in his voice.
As I looked down at him my heart jumped; this little guy just wanted to spend time playing with his dad on a trampoline, swing, slide & whatever other delightful toys were in the back garden. So i gladly went, spending most of the evening outside with him!
Pleading With The Father
But another thought came to mind; this was a lesson in prayer to my heavenly Father. Not of vain repetition of mere words. But of a child pleading & longing for the attention, activity, intimate relationship & delights of spending time with The Father.
How earnest am i about spending time with God? Do i plead with Him to meet with me in His Word, to delight me with a revelation of Himself as His glory passes before me in the Words i read? Do i long to live in unity with Him? When i feel 'apart' from Him does desperation enter my soul, tears fill my eyes & a pleading yell pour from my mouth for His attention?
We see this time & again in the book of Psalms as the writers cry out for God! Yet it is so often foreign to our 'private' or 'public' Christian lives. Where are our earnest, Biblically rooted tears of yearning, or our Christ - longing cries for God to meet us?
We sing "As the deer pants for the water" but do we really feel that thirst for God overwhelm our mind, heart & soul; causing our bodies to feel physically hungry for Christ?
I know it's hugely lacking in my own life!
Grabbing my hand he began to pull with all his might, screaming at the top of his lungs "DAAADDDEEEE OUTTSSSIDE" with tears beginning to roll down his cheeks and desperation in his voice.
As I looked down at him my heart jumped; this little guy just wanted to spend time playing with his dad on a trampoline, swing, slide & whatever other delightful toys were in the back garden. So i gladly went, spending most of the evening outside with him!
Pleading With The Father
But another thought came to mind; this was a lesson in prayer to my heavenly Father. Not of vain repetition of mere words. But of a child pleading & longing for the attention, activity, intimate relationship & delights of spending time with The Father.
How earnest am i about spending time with God? Do i plead with Him to meet with me in His Word, to delight me with a revelation of Himself as His glory passes before me in the Words i read? Do i long to live in unity with Him? When i feel 'apart' from Him does desperation enter my soul, tears fill my eyes & a pleading yell pour from my mouth for His attention?
We see this time & again in the book of Psalms as the writers cry out for God! Yet it is so often foreign to our 'private' or 'public' Christian lives. Where are our earnest, Biblically rooted tears of yearning, or our Christ - longing cries for God to meet us?
We sing "As the deer pants for the water" but do we really feel that thirst for God overwhelm our mind, heart & soul; causing our bodies to feel physically hungry for Christ?
I know it's hugely lacking in my own life!
