“What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, ready and waiting for all those who run to you to escape an unkind world.” Psalm 31.19
Escaping from the world back into family is a God gift I miss frequently these days. This weekend I am helping with two young kids and it is sweet. The hassles, screams, and messy food are nurturing events for my soul. Even the tantrums remind me of my own behavior with God.
I wonder if my feelings towards my young nephew and niece would be different if I knew they only came to me to escape someone or something? I wonder if I would receive them with the same enthusiasm when they ran to me for the third, fourth, or ninety-ninth time? Would I be wondering about their motives? Would I question my own?
David is absolutely confident in God’s awaiting stack of blessings. Paul later goes on to describe how God planned and assured our eternal relationship with him knowing that we were going to fail time, and time again. Do I have this type of confidence? Do I really believe God is like this? Am I willing to become someone like this, especially when I really dislike someone?
There is only one way I can answer the first set of question, from experience. I continue to run to God to escape the world and all of its hassles. My motives with God are twofold; have a relationship, escape into a world of acceptance and peace. I wish that my motives were pure, that my escape to God is purely a reaction to who he is. It is not. I am running away as well as running towards.
I can testify, from my experience, to what God is like when you are with him. The one caveat is that, to have the full God experience, you should leave you presumptions and expectations behind. I also strongly recommend that one come with open ears and heart.
God is rarely as we expect him to be!
