To Be Near Our Children

One of our sons called yesterday morning with the exciting news that he and his wife will be moving from New Orleans, LA to Potomac, Md. So much closer!  Immediately, my heart longed to move to Charlottesville, where one of our daughters lives and thus be closer to her and two of her brothers.  No sooner had that thought raced across my mind than God said, "I long to be close to my children too."

Ugh. That moment when you know you've heard from the Lord and He speaks truth.

Ugh. That moment when you are convicted of longing for things in this world, more than the

         Creator Himself.

Ah!   That moment when you feel the Holy Spirit adjusting the motives of your heart and 
          setting you back on course to where the treasure of your heart should be.

"It wasn’t until I was a parent that I began to realize God’s desire to be intimate with His children. Spiritually I was born into God’s family, just as my children were physically born into our family. But it is not enough just to bear children; a loving parent has a great desire to have a vital relationship, a bond of intimacy with his or her child. In a small way, I understand God’s desire to be lovingly involved with and close to us, just as I love and want to be near my children. 
God is well acquainted with our ways; He has laid His hand upon us. His thoughts toward us are precious. He is our Shepherd, who asks us to “seek His face.” He is our Savior, whose desire for intimacy is ultimately manifested in the cross. He is our loving Father, who has adopted us so that He can be intimate with us. God does long to be with His children." By Cynthia Heald  

"I will give them a desire to know me and to be my people. They will want me to be their God, and they will turn back to me with all their heart."  Jeremiah 24:7