Running as fast as he could to the front of the house, This giant of a man kicks the front door. Opening it immediately, kind of how they do in the movies with one fell swoop of the leg. Scanning the entry way of the house, he begins searching the house intensely, knowing that "he" is in there somewhere. He goes into the living room, shoving aside the coffee table and then overturning the couch and chairs. Propelling into the kitchen, he exits that room almost as fast as he'd entered it. But not before flipping over the kitchen table and opening every cabinet and drawer that stood in his way. Building steam, he motors down the hallway and into the bedrooms ransacking each room of the 4-bedroom house the same way. First lifting the bed, then looking behind the remaining furniture, and then tossing out everything in the closet. Like a runaway train, he's now breezed his way into in the last room of the house. Now with only the closet remaining, he throws open the doors. His experience in these searches always leads him to the place that he knew to look the entire time. There in the darkest spot of the closet, in the farthest room of the house, in seemingly the safest place of the house, he finds whats he's been looking for the whole time.
There he was crouched down on the floor of the closet trembling with fear. He'd hoped that he wouldn't be found, but now there he was in the shadow of the one that was looking for him. It was his lively hood that had just been overturned by the towering figure and he could hear the the hunter ransack every room as he made his way to where he was hiding. He grew more scared with each thought of what he would do to him once he found him. Now cornered in the room and exposed, he yells out as he is now being lifted off the floor.
Only he's not being torn limb from limb, but rather being embraced. Held on to by one squeezing has if he never wanted to lose him again. Looking at the face of the man that he was once hiding from, he doesn't see the emotions of someone who is angry, but rather that of someone relieved. His emotions then switches from that of fear, and eases into one of peace. The hug from the hunter is much more comforting than what he once thought the closet would provide.
This story reminds me of how we sometimes see God or how we think God sees us. In our lives, we picture God as this huge guy who's looking to crush us at every whim. What if we didn't pray today? HE'S GONNA GET ME...I have sinned again! HE'S GONNA GET ME....I hadn't been to church in ages or read my bible....HE'S GONNA GET ME....I don't even believe in God...HE'S GONNA GET ME...
But the truth is, that God is not out to get us. He's not out to punish us. It's just the opposite, God is out to love on us. He is trying to get to you, not to find some twisted way to punish you. But to extend a love to you that is unmatched. God is always calling out to you, with arms extended to show some love. Similar to the predator in the story, or how you would be if your child or loved one was in danger, God will move any and everything out of the way to get to you. There's nothing he won't move to get to the thing that he treasures most. He loves you right where you are and is eager to show you how much.
I hope that you would have a different perspective of a God that longs to love you and not one that loves to punish!
I am a king, and these are my thoughts....
