Have you ever had one of those days when you just cannot seem to focus on your conversation with God?
I was in my bedroom trying to connect with my heavenly father. Having difficulty concentrating on the bible passage in front of me, I glanced at the large mirror opposite and thought,
“There’s a hole in the armpit of my jumper. I must sew it before it gets bigger. Umm…the central heating boiler needs fixing. All that grating and sloshing! It sounds like a roaring dragon emerging from the ocean and how did…Oh sorry Lord! What was I saying?”
When I get like that, the only thing to keep my mind on track is to throw a cloth over my head. I reached towards the nearest drawer and pulled out a stripy pair of pyjama trousers. It fitted on my head nicely, but with the legs hanging down to my tummy and the elasticated waist draped in an arch shape over my eyebrows, I looked like an Egyptian pharaoh. Also, I could still see too much in my peripheral vision, so I tossed it onto the floor and yanked out the rest of the clothes from that drawer. Amongst the mess, I found a bright pink negligee that I never liked. I had bought plenty in my single days, imagining that when I got married, I would float into the room like an irresistible seductress and woo my husband into throwing down his book to give me his full attention. In reality, the shoulder straps snapped, the lace ripped, the satin wrinkled into many ugly creases and that was all before I’d even left the bathroom. To top it off, the blooming thing made me sweat like a boar in the outback.
“That will do.” I mused and draped it over my head.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
My youngest niece, Bethany, entered slowly and looked around.
“Ooh! It’s nice in here! This is a lovely room.”
I thanked her for the compliment and pondered on the fact that she did not comment on my weird apparel.
With the frayed straps dangling around both ears, I peered out through the neon nightwear and asked her what she wanted. It was evident that she had become bored playing with her elder sister and cousin, so I gave her a few suggestions of what she could do next, promising that I would join her shortly.
With her wide eyes focussed on me, she scratched her knee and puffed out her cheeks, totally unpacified by my efforts to encourage her in a new activity. Putting on her most persuasive voice – the one she usually reserves for using to request ownership of a chocolate biscuit that she’s spotted in the cookie jar – she took a deep breath and uttered:
“Auntie Sharon, please can you come down?”
The poor mite must have been desperate for company! Why would any child want to spend time with a crazy relative who is staring at them through black lace while blowing a washing label out of their eyes?
However, I was also deeply touched. For once, Bethany was not after some kind of sweet treat. She just wanted me to spend some time with her. Moved by this request, I shifted the satin hat and promised to join her after I had finished reading the chapter I was on.
But alas, she was still stood in the same spot, with no sign of imminent departure. Looking disappointed, but trying to hide her impatience, she whispered:
“Is it a BIG chapter?”
It was so delightful to be reminded by this little token of impatience, how eager our God is to spend quality time with us.
How he loves us to come to him with no agenda or shopping list of wants! Of course, we know he delights in seeing us draw near to him boldly, so we can obtain mercy and grace to help in the time of need,
but he also cherishes those ‘no reason at all moments’ when we just crave to be in his presence.
For a moment, I imagined Jesus walking up behind me and prodding me on the shoulder with his finger. I give him no attention and shrug him off saying, “Not now Lord, I’m looking for a bible verse.” He offers to help me, but I reply, “S’okay, I’ll check Google.” He tells me that I spend more time with my phone than with him and hey, if I put that thing down, he might even tell me where that verse is found.
Why had I been so distracted earlier? It was because I had a mind full of other things that I was wanting to do that day. When last had I entered ‘his room’ and asked him to spend time with me without needing anything or having a list of other tasks I wanted to do?
Is he ever busy doing something else when I want to chat with him? What would it be like if we had to make an appointment to see him or travel miles just to get an hour of his time?
I was glad that Bethany had interrupted me, because I knew that when I did as she had requested, her facial expression would remind me how we should be when we begin to draw near to God. He is always pleased to see us enter his presence, so we should delight in being with him!
I closed my ‘book of big chapters’ and headed downstairs, leaving my ‘bottom drawer boudoir’ in a mess.
On entering the living room, Bethany gave me a cheery smile. Though, I’m not sure if it was because she was so glad to see me, or if it had more to do with the Kit Kat that had suddenly appeared in her hand, but either way, I had learnt a valuable lesson about how much our Daddy loves to spend time with us, just because we are his children.
