A little girl was sobbing outside of our window. Her bangs were sticky
with tears and the hands that covered her face were dripping with dirty, salty
tears. She just squatted there, crying. I attempted to rub her back and comfort
her. No tickling or pulling could pry her hands from her face. All I wanted was
for her to look at me so that I could make her laugh, but she refused. She saw
there, in her shame, and rejected my affection. Her friends surrounded us and watched,
waiting for a reaction from her, but there was none, Lunch was waiting on me
but I saw with her a while. I tried to encourage her and remind her that I
would have to leave her soon. Still she cried. Still she rejected me. And so I
left her and went to eat.
Then, I was aware of my own sticky, hand covered face. How much time I’ve
been wasting squatting in pain! How often I refuse to uncover my face because
that would mean vulnerability. That would mean I would have to face my sin. So
instead of looking to the Father (who only desires our joy in Him) I sulk in my
shame. AND I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
This moment with the little girl helped me
realize how He loves us, in His patient pursuit of our hearts. Those of us who
already know our place in His kingdom, our sonship in His family, it is time
for us to let go of our shame and the pride it takes for us to keep our faces
covered. BECAUSE WE ARE WASTING OUR TIME.
There are so many who have no idea
that God awaits them on the other side of their shame. And there will come a
time when the Father will go to His feast without them. We already know His
forgiveness; we already know the way to His feast. There’s simply not enough
time for us to doubt His forgiveness; we already know the way to His feast.
There’s simply not enough time for us to doubt His forgiveness or remain in our
selfishness. WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE!
We must share Christ’s redemption with
those squatting in pain, trapped in their own hopelessness. We won’t be the
ones to give them joy, we won’t even be the ones to uncover their faces, but we
will be the ones to show them the One who can. We will be the ones to pray for
the Holy Spirit to remove their hands and captivate their hearts. We will be
the hands, the feed w ho bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. And we
ARE the ones He has forgiven, the ones He has CHOSEN to make His name known. We
just have to get out of the squatting position and GO.
-Hannah C