I called out to my son, "Nathan! Where are you?"
No answer.
Concerned, I called out for my daughter. "Alex?"
Nothing.
Something wasn't right.
I dropped my bags and headed upstairs. I called out to the kids again: no response. Everything upstairs seemed normal except for the clocks demanding attention with their monotonous 12:42 message... and no kids. What happened during my 20-minute drive home?!
I began searching room by room... and found my son lying on his bedroom floor.
Asleep with his earbuds in, music still playing.
I breathed a sigh of relief and woke him up. It turns out the cat had scattered his papers on the island after knocking over the cup (the paw-print evidence found later was overwhelming, and the defendant was found guilty as charged). My daughter had a late band practice that afternoon and wasn't home yet.
As a parent, I tend to worry about my kids, and my overactive imagination doesn't help. My mom tells me she still worries about me even though I am over forty. The great Christian orator Charles Spurgeon once said, "It is the nature of children to imitate their parents." That applies to worrying as well.
When something is amiss, I need to immediately connect with my wife and kids: a call, a text message, or a quick shout upstairs... whatever it takes. It seems our cat feels the same way. As soon as he enters through his pet door, the little fur ball immediately begins yowling to connect with the family and let everyone know he is home and safe.
I digress.
My point is this: when things are out of whack in life, I want to reach out and connect with my loved ones. Knowing they are safe and sound provides a measure of comfort and stability in the midst of whatever situation arises.
I realized recently that there was one person who I was not connecting with as quickly or as often as everyone else: G-d. In my defense, I must say that I don't have G-d's cell number, so texting and phone calls are not an option. Maybe I should just give Him a quick shout "upstairs"?
Yeah, yeah... I know. G-d is everywhere, right? King David makes that point:
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. (Psalm 139:7-12)
Here's the thing: although I know He is present everywhere, I don't always feel it. Instead of sensing something out of whack and crying to G-d, "Where are You? I need your help and comfort!" I tend to let it go and try to handle it on my own. Life is busy, you know? I'm responsible for taking care of my wife, my kids, and my job. I figure G-d has everything else under control and doesn't need me interrupting, right?
Wrong! That's not the point.
Messiah tells us, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Paul says that in Christ, "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28) and that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which G-d prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
Regardless of how I feel... regardless of what I feel... only G-d knows what He has created me to do and be today.
I'm responsible for taking care of my wife. G-d knows what He created me to do and be for my wife today.
I'm responsible for taking care of my kids. G-d knows what He created me to do and be for my kids today.
I'm responsible for the job that G-d has provided. G-d knows what He... You get the point.
So maybe we should be in the regular habit of going before our Creator and "checking in," so to speak. During the worst of times, we almost have to cry out to Him in our distress. But what about the good times and the average times? What about those "dry spells" where things aren't that great, but they aren't awful either.. and you just don't feel near to the Lord?
I believe those are the most critical times to be in regular prayer and drawing near to G-d: prayer draws us away from the sin that may lead to the "bad times" and can propel us towards those precious "mountain peak" moments with Him. Unfortunately, absent a particular need or problem, most people find it difficult to pray regularly.
I mean, really... it's not like I'm keeping G-d updated on recent events. He already knows everything!
It's not like I have to explain anything to Him. He's already got it figured out.
Why should we pray when things aren't particularly good or bad in our lives? To glorify G-d.
Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made. (Isaiah 43:7)
I used to struggle with prayer during the "dry spells". I would pray something like, "Dear Lord. Thank you for this day. Thank you for my wife. Thank you for my kids. Thank you for my job. Thank you for... uhm... everything. Amen."
While having a thankful heart is good, I realize I am not the best at coming up with words for glorifying and praising G-d, but I know who is. G-d! The Psalms are recorded for us because they are G-d's inspired words of praise. The Psalms set my mind right and help me glorify G-d at the same time.
O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1)
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)
Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! (Psalm 24:7)
I was amazed at what happened when I prayed the Psalms. No matter what day or the circumstances, I had a minute of peace and joy because I was reminded of Who He is.
Take five minutes. Go to a quiet place. Pick a Psalm. Read it aloud. Connect with the One you love.
It's what you were created to do.
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