A Simple Request

It has been observed that commas, in their relevance to sentence structure, have the power of saving lives.  Their intent is to bring about a pause in preparation for what is to follow.  The word “still” is defined as “not moving or making a sound,” or “to quieten.”   

As mentioned before, Ansleigh, 4, is my granddaughter, and one of three delights in this old life of mine.  She makes me laugh and keeps me on my toes with her questions and observations.  At present, anything Barbie is her favorite, and I have a Barbie camper, a Barbie airplane, a Barbie farm set, and other assorted Barbie dolls and accessories stored in the hall closet for our enjoyment whenever she comes to visit.  I have observed, though, that what she wants most of all, is my time and attention.  She has a vivid imagination and can easily entertain herself, but she seems to have the best time when I’m in the middle of it all with her.  “Papa, will you play with me?”  “I’d love to play with you, Angel!”  And off we go…with the Barbies, or  Play Doh, or crayons and a coloring book, or stickers, or, when the weather permits, a trip to the park.  She’s happy, I’m happy, and memories are made.  In the midst of all her playthings, she wants me—my time and attention—most of all.

I believe this is the message in the verse above.  It goes without saying that we are involved in so many things that there hardly seems enough hours in any given day to do all we need to do.  As a result, some things are rescheduled, reworked, or done away with altogether.  Sadly, sometimes, and maybe most times, the time we spend with God is one of those things.  That little verse is so important because it reminds us that our relationship with God, and the time we spend with Him, is paramount.  Just as I love to be invited into Ansleigh’s world to spend time with her, God loves to be invited into our world to spend time with us.

When she comes to visit, we sit at the kitchen table, or in the middle of the floor, with all manner of “things” underfoot or scattered around us, and we enjoy being together.  In those moments together, concrete truths are evident:  I belong to her and she belongs to me.  I talk, she listens.  She talks, I listen.  I love her and she loves me, and we tell each other regularly.  She asks, and receives, but according to my judgment and what’s in her best interest.  I fit perfectly in her little world of innocence and imagination, and she fits perfectly into my world of experience and Ibuprofen.  To her I may be nothing more than a playmate, but to me it’s the grandest of privileges to be invited to spend time with her.  I believe our God feels the same way when we invite Him into the chaos and confusion of our lives.  It’s ok that we’re busy, but we can’t afford to be so busy that we have no time for Him.  He stands ready to join us where we are, but is gracious enough to wait on the invitation.  We invite, He accepts, and He comes right into the middle of it all to spend much-needed time with us.  When Ans and I are playing together, life still goes on around us:  the TV is on, the phone interrupts with text messages or calls, the washing machine or dishwasher might be on, and the cats are usually begging for attention, yet we focus upon each other.  We tune out all the distractions and make the most of the sacred time we’ve been given.  It’s entirely possible to “be still” when things around us continue to move at the speed of life.  We need only to concentrate and focus our attention on the One who wants to spend time with us.  This day, and in the days ahead, may you be still (pause), and know that God is in control and has your name written in the palm of His hand.