Image by Cailin Valente
Lamentations 3:43-66 Matthew 14:29-33
I remember experiencing a series of pretty awful events several years ago. You know how it is drama transpires that just isn’t really necessary. If it hasn’t happened to you, I’m sure you’ve seen other people go through it, and you probably think to yourself, “And THAT’S why I prefer to live dramafree!”
Well, this time I found myself in it as much as I wanted to avoid it. I was anxious, distraught, sad, confused. It was affecting my family. I knew that I had support and people to talk to, but it wasn’t until I talked to my dad that things really changed. He said to me, in his straightforward, masculine way, “Yeah, stuff happens. It’s just part of life, you know? We all make mistakes.
I’m not mad or anything at you or them I just want you to come home.” Wow. I remember thinking, “You’re not mad? Not even a tiny bit? You’re not being nice on the outside but inside really disappointed or annoyed?” And the simple answer was no, he wasn’t. He was just dad and he loved me. Period.
I’m so grateful for this experience because it teaches us so much about our spiritual Father in heaven and our community with one another. God does not ask you or people around you to make perfect decisions. If that was really His ultimate goal, He wouldn’t have given us free will.
Out of His unfathomable love for us, He gave us the ability to choose. And when we go to Him like the person in Lamentations and say, “Water is closing over my head! I am lost . . .”(54), His mercy and compassion is moved and He will not reject us. God is a loving Father who just wants us to come home. The best part is that He doesn’t ask us to perfect before doing it. We don’t need to fix the problem before bringing it to Him, or have the answer before telling Him we’ve screwed up.
As with my own father, we will be able to exclaim, “I called upon your name, O Lord . . . you heard my plea . . . You came near to my when I called on you” (5457). When we feel like Peter who began doubting and sinking in the water, we can cry out, “Lord, save me!” and He will reach out His hand.
If we feel afraid of coming to God so vulnerably like this, then we should spend some time in prayer and ask ourselves why. What is blocking the way? Pride? Distrust? Unforgiveness? Resentment?
God desires a personal relationship with you. What’s stopping you from going deeper?
