Her beautiful brown eyes gazed up directly into mine as she unashamedly stared at me. She was as close as she could get without actually touching me as she asked questions like, “How old are you?” and “Is it freezing where you are from?” I smiled as I answered her questions and she melted my heart with a lovely smile of her own. In that moment, God spoke to my heart. “She just wants to be near you,” I heard His Spirit whisper. The message came so quickly, I would have missed it had it not been for the visual parable playing itself right in front of me.
Growing up, I had a lovely picture of Jesus holding a little girl in His lap whose looks resembled my own. The picture hung above my bed in my room until I moved away from home. While visiting my parents this past Christmas, I saw that same picture again. The little girl was resting her head on Jesus’ shoulder and her features showed a quiet peace and trust that Jesus would take care of her every need. She was not in a hurry to jump down and go on her way; she was simply resting in His lap, enjoying His company. She just wanted to be near Jesus.
I have to ask myself, “Where did that little girl go?” The one who knew that spending time with Jesus was more important than anything else her “schedule” might demand. I can justify the “good things” I have going on right now; but when I run out of time to soak up Jesus’ presence, those good things begin to lose their effectiveness and they become more of a chore than love overflowing.
When the frustration comes more quickly and the impatient words begin to slip out, I know that it is time to stop and gaze up into the face of Jesus. I need to get near Him again to find refreshing in His presence and spiritual sustenance from His Word. Just like the little girl from my church last Sunday, I need to be so close that I can hear Him whisper His love and direction to my soul. May God help me desire nothing above my desire to be near Him.
“The life that is pleasing to God is not a series of religious duties. We have only one thing to do, namely, to experience a life of relationship and intimacy with God.”
Richard Foster
