Delight

Over the years since Rachel came into my life at the age of six weeks, I have learned much from her. In the next several posts, I'd like to share a few things she has taught me. This segment of "Things I Have Learned From My Daughter" was first shared in my May 2006 newsletter.

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The month of March 2006 was a fun one for Rachel…and for me.  She was sleeping well, and was very content.  This meant that when I got her out of her crib in the morning, she was bright-eyed and excited to see me.  I could tell by the way she kicked her legs and waved her arms.  I could see it in her big toothless grin and sparkling eyes.  She was happy just to be with her mommy.   

It occurred to me that God must love it when His children wake up glad simply to be with Him.  Of course, as adults, most of us don’t show our joy by waving our arms and kicking our legs. For most of us, big toothless grins, are a thing of the past.  

Even so, do we wake up with a sense of anticipation of what our Father is going to do in our lives in the day ahead?  Or do we stagger out of bed with bleary eyes, and plod through the day, perhaps never even acknowledging that our Father is there ready to take delight in being with us?

I got a tiny sense of what this might be like during the month of April 2006.  Rachel wasn’t sleeping as soundly as before, so she was not as well rested.  When I went to get her up, she just stared into space before even acknowledging that I was there.  When I took her hands she would stand up and go through her morning routines without much fuss, but the sparkle was not there.  No excitement.  No big grin that said, “Mommy, I’m SOOO glad to see you!”  

Of course, the grin did come later in the day, but I missed seeing it in the morning.  Our Father must miss His children, too, when we are too tired or distracted to even acknowledge His presence, much less be excited to be with Him. 

I hope that you will be challenged, even as I have been, to realize that our Father in heaven is there eagerly anticipating being with His children, even as I eagerly anticipate being with my baby.  Perhaps you are like me, and the first thing in the morning is simply not your best time of day.  Even so, I hope to not go too far into the day before looking with delight to spending time with my Father.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: 

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.  

 Psalm 27:4