He Just Can't Help Himself

This morning, I awoke with an increasing awareness of my "to do" list waving back and forth in my mind like a red flag.  I tried to be patient.  I tried to relax my shoulders and lessen my stress level, but that seemed to only accentuate the fact that I had cut off my alarm and gone back to sleep.

I had so many things to do...so many things I wanted to get done and needed to get done.  The tension increased as I dressed for the day, and I found myself getting a little on the irritable side!  I knew I was in trouble then...and possibly every one else in the house, too!

Then I heard "that whisper" in my Spirit, almost as loud as if it were audible.  That same, familiar, small Voice that calls to me ever so quietly in the morning, called again today:

"Come, sit with Me a while."

I argued:  "But I have so many things to do.  You know that...right?  I slept late, Lord.  Now my day is all out of whack.  I've just got to get some things done before the kids wake up." 

"Come, sit with Me a while." was again the call. 

In my many years as a Believer, I'd like to say that I answered that whisper of His immediately every time - that I sat, when He asked me to sit with Him.  However, it seems more times than not, I completely ignore the calling to come away with Him, in order to choose to do something far less valuable. 

But this morning, I made myself sit.  I told Him about my day, and about how I was already out of sorts, and this is what He told me through His Word:

My Beloved spoke, and said to me:  "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  For lo, the winter is past.  The rain is over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come.  And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.  The fig tree puts forth her green figs and the vines with the tender grapes.  Give a good smell. (I loved that imagery..."Take it in," He said, "Relax.  Breathe in the smell of LIFE.")  Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!  O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face,  Let me hear your voice;  for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely"  (Song of Solomon 2:10-14).

Isn't that cool?  I listened and obeyed as He called me to come sit with Him, and THAT'S what He said to me.  He didn't chastise me for not coming sooner.  He didn't speak words of discipline, because I had gotten stressed.  He didn't make me feel guilty for turning off my alarm clock.  Instead, He simply told me I was beautiful to Him - that He was calling me, because He wanted to sit with me.  He wanted to hear my voice.  He wanted to see my face, because I am lovely to Him. 

I don't know about you, but that makes my heart melt and yearn for my Savior.  That makes me desire to sit with Him all the more.  That makes my "to do" list not seem so urgent.

Now, if you are a guy, I am sure the thought of Jesus telling you that you are lovely may not tug at your heart strings as much as it does mine, but you can't tell me that your heart is not warmed by the fact that the God Who created You, wants to "hang out."  He wants to be with you.  He desires for you to "Come, sit a spell."

It's a beautiful thing - that God could love us SOOO much that He wants to be with US...to listen to US...to see OUR faces.

You know, last night I spent about 2 hours upstairs, wandering back and forth, in between my kids' rooms.  The two oldest had been gone for a couple of days on a youth weekend, and I found myself not just missing them, but missing their presence.  A part of me was gone.  Something just wasn't right without them home. 

So, last night when they came in, I couldn't seem to tear myself away from the upstairs rooms.  I felt quite silly, interrupting Alex's work-out sessions just to "check in" on his progress, but it had to be done!  KK and I would talk and giggle back and forth about things that had happened over the weekend and on occasion, we'd hit a few serious notes.   

I enjoyed myself immensely.  Being with them again, filled some emptiness in my heart.  I was so glad they were home.  So glad, in fact, that I seriously, couldn't "leave."  I tried.  I tried to go back downstairs, but would inevitably find some reason to return.  I knew I was doing it, but couldn't help myself. 

I wanted to be with them...not to tell them to do something or get something from them...just to be with them...to talk with them...the see their faces.

So, this morning, these verses hit a new nerve in me - one that will not easily forget my Father's desire to be with His child. 

And it's not just me, either. 

He wants that for you, too.  He wants to be with you.  He wants to talk with you, as a Father to His child.  He thinks you are lovely...or handsome - whichever the case may be! 

Listen to His call today and come away with Him.  Before the rest of the world comes crashing through your front door. - or if it already has - take a minute and go sit with Him.  Meet with Him.  He's waiting.  He wants to be with you. 

After all, He just can't help Himself.

Thank You, Father, for drawing me...for calling me to Yourself, so that I can just be with You.  Thank You for relieving the stress of the day and reminding me that the most important thing I have to do on my "to do" list is to come away and sit with You for a little while.  Thank you that You desire me.  That You love me.  That You want to see my face and hear my voice.  I love You, Lord.  I really do.