HIS ONLY REQUEST

I remember when I was a little boy.

And the little boy things.

Warm milk.

Big pillows.

The safe presence of parents.

Sunday school and weekend things.

Born into the world, we are so immediately introduced to what we can see, feel, and experience. The needs we need to be met when we are vulnerable. Little by little, gradually over time those principles and needs move right along with our age and our circumstances.

The need for warm milk or a big pillow becomes the need for sex or the desire to be seen...

The happiness of Sunday school or VBS becomes the need to be busy and appear all put together with our dreams and goals...

Suddenly the little tragedies we thought we had as a little boy are a whole lot more complicated and real as an adult.

And yet, we continue to worship and are invited into fellowship by a God who uniquely understands our priorities and schedules, our fears and anxieties, the things we aren't addressing or don't want to uncover.

And this God, even in the midst of His ultimate and supreme power chooses to be vulnerable with the vulnerable. Expressing His desire to be with us and do life with us.

Willing to take the dirty laundry we've hidden so well onto the yoke of His grace.

To bleed for us.

Die for us.

Yearn after us.

And never give up on us.

And His only request?

No, not perfect track records. Even though that is what His righteousness would demand if it weren't for the cross...

No, not all the right words or deeds.

He simply asks us to be still.

To walk in the moment of His enduring and strong love.

To be still.

To be still.

To be still.

Not that we can't change the world or make our cities and communities better places.

Not that we quietly sit back while the world around us needs us to be involved and present and givers of life.

But that we wouldn't forget too quickly the value of sitting with God.

Eating with Him.

Driving with Him.

Crying and laughing...with...Him.