A Full Embrace...

I was looking at old files and ran across something I had written five months ago as a FB post.  It had left my memory.  Oh how I needed this reminder today.  Today is my daughter's 14th birthday. Besides the birthday celebration, we had a lot on our plate..."things" and "stuff".  The joy of the day got away from me as my thoughts became worries; my worries turned into frustration; my frustration turned into anger; and I let my joy be stolen.  I did not embrace God as I should, therefore could not embrace others as I should.   I am thankful for God's loving rebuke.  I need to right my wrong and pray that this word received long ago would not be forgotten again:   

November 2013 - I woke up this morning and just stayed in bed so I could be still and pray - something I do not do near enough in the hours of a silent home. I prayed about much. I found myself praying for God to call His people to Himself and pour out His spirit on His church, His bride; for us to desire Him. Then, I said to God, “But I do not think we can fully come to you, fully desire you, unless we let 'things' go.” Immediately following, a vision came into mind. I began to chew on that vision/thought and it expanded. Have you ever tried to give someone a full embrace with your hands full? For me, I thought of how I want to give my husband a hug when he gets home, and as he pulls in the drive, I start heading for the door. But after a long day with children and housework, I find my self picking up or doing things along the way: that toy on the floor, the wrapper not thrown away, the blanket unfolded, the coat draped over the chair, timer going off on the oven...just picking these things up as I go to greet my husband. I go with the intention to fully embrace him, and all I can do is lean in toward him and give him a kiss on the cheek, because my hands/arms are too full of “stuff” - unimportant, unessential stuff.

 

What happened to the full embrace? Love given in full measure? I think this is what the church, His bride, does with Christ. We want the fullness of God, the power of God, the love of God, but we do not approach Him with empty arms. We are picking stuff up along the journey - “unimportant, unessential stuff”: money, career-driven lives, making a name for ourselves, busyness, clean house, vacations, debt, entertainment, fine dining, keeping up with the Jones's, and heavy burdens we were never expected to carry such as guilt and shame and condemnation– cumbersome loads to carry. So we pick all this stuff up and approach the throne to embrace our Creator, the supposed lover of our life, and all we can do is lean in and give a kiss on the cheek, because we will not drop the “stuff” to be able to give the full embrace. This broke my heart when God showed me this in the morning hours. But I am thankful.  I wanted to share this with my friends, because it is a loving word of encouragement. He is waiting for the full embrace with His arms wide open...are ours?