My granddaughter, Lucy, when first beginning to talk, tried to call me—a name my daughter thought I would like to be called—Amma Kimmie. The “Amma,” quickly lost in the speech of a one year old, was dropped, and I became Kimmie, a name I love to be called. One day though, when coming to visit, Lucy burst through the front door and with much love and affection, yelled to me, “My Kimmie, I want to show you something!”
Oh, be still my soul. At that moment, my heart melted into my shoes, and I knew I would give her anything she asked for. I would have given her the world if I could. I was to Lucy, her Kimmie.
The love I felt for Lucy is the way I feel toward all my loved ones, but when Lucy said those words to me, I was knocked off my rocker. In that instant, I quickly understood it is the same heart God has for us when we call out to Him as our Father. Just as that realization swept over me, I knew I wanted to have that same reciprocal love for the Lord. That overflowing, without reservation, completely abandoned to, I will do anything for You, passionate heart of love.
The truth is, my love for God, more often than not, doesn’t look much like that. Pockmarked with those gods and idols that have taken precedence in my life—the stumblings of people-pleasing, and the selfish ambition of me, me, me, and I, I, I——my devotion and adulation for the Lord, as much as I don’t want it to be, is still of the distracted variety. Like Doug, the animated talking dog in the movie, Up, who whenever he sees a squirrel is instantly pulled away from whatever he is doing, I too, am distracted by most things that zoom, or float, past my radar.
With every passing thought and every insignificant everything (it doesn’t seem to matter what it is), I find myself putting God second, third, or dead last to what’s knocking on my door. It’s terrible because I so often choose poorly. It’s not that I always think I know best, even though my actions speak louder than my thoughts or words, but it’s the pride of life, those glittering and beautiful things that entice and beckon, that call my name, that pull and distract me from what matters.
The problem is, I listen and accept those invitations far more than I would like to admit. I leave the love that is most important, behind.
Yet, and still, God calls to us. He desires to have fellowship with us like He had with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before sin came into the world. When we come to Jesus, letting Him take on our sin while giving us His righteousness, our relationship with God is restored. But even so, when we continually don’t listen, choosing our own path, we miss what He has for us.
When we walk in His will though, we have His peace and the gift of His Presence.
I admire the likes of Sir Edmund Hillary, who with the Tibetan climber, Tenzing Norgay, were the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Allowing no distraction to come between him and his pursuit, he set his sights and moved toward it. True north. Not veering to the left or to the right, but straight ahead.
Truly, that’s where I want to be with the Lord. Not going off course. Fully and passionately in love with Him. Seeking Him with everything I am. That’s the direction I want to be moving.
He promises, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
What a privilege and blessing. When our eyes are on the Lord, we need not worry about anything.
Heavenly Father, as the song says, I’m…
“…Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above.” *
Kimberly
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”’ Luke 11:13 NKJV
*Robinson, R. (2018). Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
