“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon him in
truth.” Psalm 145:18
My husband and I recently went to England on vacation where
Spring has already arrived. In addition to visiting many of the famous
buildings in London such as Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, and the Tower
of London, we had a chance to enjoy Hyde Park and Regent’s Park.
Both parks are beautifully landscaped and filled with
numerous gardens, ponds and statutes. Foliage was coming on the perennials, and
splashes of color were provided by the crocuses, daffodils, snapdragons,
tulips, and primroses. Swans, ducks, gulls, herons, geese and cormorants played
and fed in the water while, jays, robins, thrushes, and finches flitted among
the trees.
Along the shore, the pigeons vied for attention. Not from
us, but from each other. The male pigeons were quite a sight. If the female
pigeons they wanted to impress weren’t looking at them, they would either peck
at her back so she’d turn around, or they’d take flight then land in front of
her. Once the male pigeon had his potential wife’s attention, he would puff up
his neck and sing to her all while performing an intricate dance. Usually she
turned away and continued searching for food, so the poor, male pigeon would
have to start the ritual all over again.
Watching the pigeons got me thinking about what we as
Christians often do in our relationship with God. We think we have to look a
certain way or perform all sorts of fancy moves to get his attention and make
him love us. The good news is that God loves us no matter what we do, and often
times in spite of what we do. It’s not about the number of committees on which
we serve or how many people we bring into the Kingdom, although those are both
worthwhile pursuits. It’s about approaching God as we are, with child-like
faith and gratitude that we can rest in his arms. In the days ahead, try not to
let busy-ness and preconceived expectations prevent you from experiencing sweet
fellowship with your heavenly Father. And next time you see a pigeon, remember
God loves you just as you are.
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