Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Every once in awhile I find those two or three words in scripture that make you stop and think for a moment. Not that they are the most profound words, but they are words that hit something in my heart and I just can’t seem to get them out of my head.

I have started reading a new book by John Eldridge, “Walking with God” and he refers to John 10:1-4 and his struggles with these three words and my heart joins his struggle written about in the paragraph. He references , John 10:4 “He goes on ahead of them”

I started thinking about my sons when they were around 6 months old and how they over reacted to me walking out of the room. They responded like I had fallen off the face of the earth. They would cry and panic until I came back into view. It was an exhausting season and I often found myself washing dishes and going to the bathroom with a child in my arms.

I think when I consider that Jesus goes on ahead of us and we are to follow, I respond like my 6 months old little ones did. I panic and cry hysterically like He abandoned me, walked away from me,and because I don’t see or hear Him right then He no longer exist.

I comforted my children and carried them for awhile, but eventually I left them on the ground and encouraged them to crawl after me. I went on ahead of them, leading them to enlarge their little worlds and to trust me. That even if they could not see or hear me I was there and would never leave them. I built TRUST with my babies. Leave and return, always coming back to reassure them they were loved and safe.

I love these lessons when it finally starts to click. Do I TRUST my heavenly Father? Not always. Is He going on ahead of me, enticing me to follow after Him? Enlarging my world and building a relationship of TRUST for me? I think definately so.

I hate to admit it but I still fret like a little 6 month old when I sense My heavenly Father has gone out of seeing and hearing distance. I really would like for Him to carry me most days, but I also want to grow up and learn to walk with Him, ride my bike, play on the playground and meet new people, all the while knowing that He has gone on ahead of me, but He always has His eyes on me. Delighting with each new discovery I make.

“And His sheep follow Him because they know Him,” John 10:4

Tanya