I was at the beach one day spending some quiet time with God, when I noticed a little boy with his father. The boy was probably just two years old. I don’t know what had happened up until the moment I saw them, but the father was holding onto a stroller and there were two older children on scooters, so they were out for a walk.
The little boy was refusing to move. He stood with his back against a tree, grinning playfully at his dad as he tried to coax him. I was struck by the way Dad didn’t get angry or impatient, but gently and kindly spoke to the little fellow, even making a playful lunge for him, which the boy enjoyed immensely, looking forward to a game of chase.
The man smiled at me. I smiled back, shrugging my shoulders.
The other children had taken off on their scooters so the father walked off down the path a little way as though he was leaving. The boy still stood by the tree, smiling playfully; he knew his dad would never leave him. His father walked a bit further, then stopped, still close enough to be reached, but not close enough to force a showdown.
I got up to put something in the bin next to where the boy was standing. “Daddy’s going!” I said. He just looked at me with that same playful smile, as though he were welcoming somebody new into the game.
I tried a different tack. “Show me how fast you can run!” I said. “Run to Daddy! Ready, set, go!”
No response.
I tried again. “You can do it! Run fast! Ready, set, Go!"
As I began to turn away he took off, his little baby legs running as fast as they could go. I clapped and cheered. His Dad stood smiling as his little boy ran to him and they continued on together.
It was one of those moments.
And God whispered to my heart: This is what I want you to do – encourage My children to run to Daddy.
For whatever reason, we can be like that little boy. We know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. We have heard that He is never out of reach and that He has promised never to leave us. But too often we hang back, either because we are not willing to give up our independence, or because we don’t really know God enough to trust Him. We can feel like He’s far off rather than dwelling in us, and that is the way we live – in a continual struggle with a God who is not at all like we think He is.
It’s time to run to Him! For too long we have been happy to keep Him at a comfortable distance. He doesn’t want just to be a part of our life; He wants to be our Life. There is a deeper life for God’s children to live, and even as I write this I am conscious of a desire to delve deeper into His heart. There is an ocean full of the knowledge of God, of His love and His power and His glory, and I have only a thimbleful. I want more.
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