I was recently asked to write a meditation to be included in my church's annual Lenten Meditation book. I was really honored, and pretty excited, as I love to write. It is "due" by tomorrow, so I've been working on it the past few days. There was no theme, or assigned topic so that left the door wiiiiide open.
While at church two Sundays ago, I sat pondering possible topics. My mind spun out of control with the possibilities, and my thoughts got increasingly detailed and complex. But, this was to be a short meditation. I'd been praying about what to write about, and said another prayer that morning as I sat there....and then it hit me. Keep it simple. And what is just about the most perfect example of simplicity in our world? Children. I jotted down these words on a piece of scrap paper: "Jesus loves me. It really is that simple." I prayed about it some more, and have decided to submit the meditation that I'm including below. This was pretty difficult for me to write, because it had to be so short, but I'm happy with it, and I hope that it will resonate with at least one other person out there in some way. :)
As we celebrate this Christmas season...I pray that you each are able to experience the simple joy and love that children so beautifully illustrate for us....especially at this time of year.
Merry Christmas!!
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Scripture: Mark 10:13-16
Meditation:
It’s 5:15, and as I gather my things up at work, a smile comes across my face; I’m about to experience one of my favorite moments on any given day. When I arrive to pick up my kids, I find Gabriel completely lost in play on the floor. I watch him for a moment – he’s full of energy and enthusiasm. “Gabriel!” I call out, and his little blond head immediately perks up. He tosses the toys aside, and bounds across the room as fast as his little two-year old legs can carry him. He lands in my embrace with an excited “Mommy!” and I melt into the required Mommy-puddle. His sheer enthusiasm is contagious.
Gabriel constantly picks me up like this. He also convicts me, and keeps me honest. But more than any of those things, his sweet two-year old mind draws me back to how simple life really is. When my adult mind gets too focused on the next deadline or item on the list, he asks me to sit with him and read a book. When impatience oozes its way into me, Gabriel meets that with sweetly spoken words of patience. He sits at the feet of his parents, eager to spend time with us. He knows that Jesus loves him, that the Bible tells him so….and that it really is that simple.
Prayer: Father God, help us to view the world and each other through the eyes of a child, where hurts can be loved away, and obedience is expected. Help us to simplify the clutter and chaos of our everyday lives so that we can sit at Your feet, eagerly awaiting Your words and guidance, and run with full-force into Your embrace at the end of each day. Amen.
