Daddy, look at me!
A couple evenings ago we had boy’s night. Mommy went to do one of the things she loves to do, serve at church, and we put a sign up in the window that said “No girls allowed!” We dished up our pizza and settled in flipping on a movie that, according to Elisha “WE HAD TO WATCH FOR BOYS NIGHT!” It was the completion of the Open Season trilogy (let’s just say I’m glad Red Box had it for $1). Elisha suggested another idea which is true to his form, “Daddy, let’s all sit on the green couch together.” He always wants to be together. Half way through the movie it was time for dessert so we dished up the rest of the left over chocolate cake and ice cream, threw in the last couple Oreos, sprinkled on the remaining chocolate chips and topped it all off with some chocolate syrup….improvise, adapt, and overcome! Bowl 1…Elisha. Bowl 2…Josiah. As I was crafting the daddy-bowl Josiah calls out to me wondering “Daddy, are you going to sit on the blanket with us?” (The boys aren’t allowed to eat on the couch so they have spread a blanket to prepare for the feeding frenzy.) And if I take my eyes of the screen, almost in unison the question arises “Daddy are you watching?” How could I say no?
Jedidiah is getting SO BIG! You dad’s know how fast they move from phase to phase. It is as if by the time you finish assembling the multitude of parts labeled “Ultra Swivel & Glide Rock Bounce and Raise Contraption” they have already raised themselves. But anyways…Jed’s new phase, which I have been thoroughly enjoying (check back with me in a couple weeks), involves me walking him to sleep, sometimes multiple times per night. In the midst of my prayers I approximate my paces, 160 laps…120…180. Here’s his cue, he lunges. It seems that non-verbal communication is the best way to convey your desires when you don’t know any words. So, if mommy’s holding him, he’s ready for bed and I walk in the room he turns, smiles, and luuuuunnnges for me. “Oh, hey mom”…turn…luuuunnnge… “Oh, hey mom, you’re still here?”…turn…luuuuunnnge. What he’s saying is “Daddy, let’s take a walk…a very long walk.” How could I say no?
It is with emotion that I emit these words hoping that my children never stop desiring my attention. And it is with great compassion that the Father sent forth the Word which dwelt among us and died for us striving for the same attention as myself but in a much holier pursuit. As a student of theology I know that God is omniscient and omnipresent, that He is everywhere seeing and understanding all things (Psalm 139:1-12). As a son of God I know that Jesus has opened the door for me to boldly show the Father my needs (Hebrews 4:16). Isaiah 66:2 informs me how I can gather the particular gaze of the One I love; “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” So how do I attract the special attention of God? I must be of a humble and contrite spirit, I must tremble at His word. When on the inside I am poor and broken before Him, free from any pride or worth. When I am afraid enough to respond at the sound of His voice. When I am nothing and He is everything, THEN He will look to me.
If I turn toward my children I simply displace a small amount of air but when God turns toward his child it is as if all of creation is drawn toward us in one sovereign sweeping motion being held captive to do His will in the life of the one that has been able to effectively leverage a look from Him. Is it worth it to a grown man to humble himself declaring “Daddy, look at me”? How could I say no?
A couple evenings ago we had boy’s night. Mommy went to do one of the things she loves to do, serve at church, and we put a sign up in the window that said “No girls allowed!” We dished up our pizza and settled in flipping on a movie that, according to Elisha “WE HAD TO WATCH FOR BOYS NIGHT!” It was the completion of the Open Season trilogy (let’s just say I’m glad Red Box had it for $1). Elisha suggested another idea which is true to his form, “Daddy, let’s all sit on the green couch together.” He always wants to be together. Half way through the movie it was time for dessert so we dished up the rest of the left over chocolate cake and ice cream, threw in the last couple Oreos, sprinkled on the remaining chocolate chips and topped it all off with some chocolate syrup….improvise, adapt, and overcome! Bowl 1…Elisha. Bowl 2…Josiah. As I was crafting the daddy-bowl Josiah calls out to me wondering “Daddy, are you going to sit on the blanket with us?” (The boys aren’t allowed to eat on the couch so they have spread a blanket to prepare for the feeding frenzy.) And if I take my eyes of the screen, almost in unison the question arises “Daddy are you watching?” How could I say no?
Jedidiah is getting SO BIG! You dad’s know how fast they move from phase to phase. It is as if by the time you finish assembling the multitude of parts labeled “Ultra Swivel & Glide Rock Bounce and Raise Contraption” they have already raised themselves. But anyways…Jed’s new phase, which I have been thoroughly enjoying (check back with me in a couple weeks), involves me walking him to sleep, sometimes multiple times per night. In the midst of my prayers I approximate my paces, 160 laps…120…180. Here’s his cue, he lunges. It seems that non-verbal communication is the best way to convey your desires when you don’t know any words. So, if mommy’s holding him, he’s ready for bed and I walk in the room he turns, smiles, and luuuuunnnges for me. “Oh, hey mom”…turn…luuuunnnge… “Oh, hey mom, you’re still here?”…turn…luuuuunnnge. What he’s saying is “Daddy, let’s take a walk…a very long walk.” How could I say no?
It is with emotion that I emit these words hoping that my children never stop desiring my attention. And it is with great compassion that the Father sent forth the Word which dwelt among us and died for us striving for the same attention as myself but in a much holier pursuit. As a student of theology I know that God is omniscient and omnipresent, that He is everywhere seeing and understanding all things (Psalm 139:1-12). As a son of God I know that Jesus has opened the door for me to boldly show the Father my needs (Hebrews 4:16). Isaiah 66:2 informs me how I can gather the particular gaze of the One I love; “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” So how do I attract the special attention of God? I must be of a humble and contrite spirit, I must tremble at His word. When on the inside I am poor and broken before Him, free from any pride or worth. When I am afraid enough to respond at the sound of His voice. When I am nothing and He is everything, THEN He will look to me.
If I turn toward my children I simply displace a small amount of air but when God turns toward his child it is as if all of creation is drawn toward us in one sovereign sweeping motion being held captive to do His will in the life of the one that has been able to effectively leverage a look from Him. Is it worth it to a grown man to humble himself declaring “Daddy, look at me”? How could I say no?
1 comment:
Yay!! I really hope that you revive your blog!
Love the post by Vince too! Crazy that God's fatherly love toward us is even greater than any capacity of love that an earthly father could have for their child.
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