Monday, January 17, 2011

Open arms

Last night my daughter had a bad dream.  That continued to bother her all day...  Tonight at bedtime she couldn't hold back the tears.  I laid down beside her and covered her in a bear hug.
It didn't help.
So I began to pray.
I asked God to fill our room in such a way that there was room for nothing else.
And then God reminded me.  Pray with your imagination.  After all - He gave it to us.
I explained to Hannah that she had an amazing imagination and we were going to use it to pray.
Amidst muffled sobs she got out, "Okay, mommy."
As I listened to God for how to guide her - the picture came more quickly than I ever could have imagined.  I asked Hannah to picture God just as the Bible often calls Him: as Daddy.  I asked her to imagine Him wrapping her up in a crazy big hug - the biggest hug of her life.  And then to imagine laying down in His lap, with Him stroking her hair as He quietly reminded her, "I love you more than you will ever know.  Let me hold you.  And know that no matter what you face in life, My arms and My lap are always open for you."
I held her a little tighter.  I glanced at her to see how she was doing.  She then waved her hand to signal me to move on.  She was being embraced by God and she didn't need me in the same way anymore. 
And in that moment, I realized God wanted me to know that picture just as much as He wanted my daughter to experience it.
It's true, His arms and His lap are open to me.  Every moment.

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