Choosing to Be Present

It’s official . . . a Grandma’s heart is destined to be melted!  I recently wrote about my 4-year-old grandson’s first unsolicited expression of love for my husband and me and the effect it had on our hearts.  But my grandson has struck again!

As a long-distance Grandma, time spent with my grandchildren is extra-special because it is infrequent.  Every hug is precious, and every word matters.  The joy brought by interaction with my grandchildren carries my heart through the months that occur between visits.

My grandchildren recently came to visit us for a week with their parents.  We had lots of special moments, and many sweet memories were made; but perhaps the sweetest came on the day they were preparing to return home.  Upon being told by his father that they were leaving that day, my grandson looked at me and said, “I’m going to miss you so much.”  Let the Grandma-melting begin!  The following day, when my son called to tell us they had safely reached their destination, a little voice came from the back seat of the car: “I miss you, Grandma.”  Melt, melt, melt!  Now I know that my grandson will return to his daily routine and will not miss me every day; but his sweet comments will carry me through until the next time we get to be together.

Once again, I am reminded that we are made in the image of God – which means that God’s heart is also touched by what we say and do.  What if God is missing me today because I didn’t spend any time with him?  What if he is longing to hear us express to him that we miss him when we choose the demands of a hectic life over time alone with him?  Have you ever felt the angst expressed by David in Psalm 42:1-2?

“As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?"

If we have a true relationship with God, I believe that time away from his presence should make us miss him; and I believe that God misses us when we are absent.  Nothing that crosses my path today and nothing that I pursue is more important than my relationship with my heavenly Father.  My goal for the future is simple:  to use the warm feeling brought about by my grandson’s words as a reminder to do everything I can to keep God from ever missing me again!  It’s a choice I have to make every single day.

“I have set the Lord always before me;

in your presence there is fullness of joy.”

Psalm 16:8a & 11b