Snuggling

I mentioned earlier this week that my daughter can't seem to get close enough to me lately.  She wants to sit right next to me, or on me if we are at home in the living room.  If we are at a ball game, she wants to sit in my lap instead of in her lawn chair, which is right beside mine, might I add. If we are at church, if I don't let her in my lap (a girl like me NEEDS to take notes if it's ever gonna stick!), she shoves up against me so close that a piece of paper wouldn't even fit between us! If we are singing worship or the invitation, she can't just stand beside me, she has to stand between me and the pew in front of me, which makes it a little crowded. If we have had a particularly busy day/evening and we get home just in time to get ready for bed, she has a melt down when she realizes there is not anytime to "chill out".  She'll cry while she's walking down the hall to get her shower and say, "but I just want you to hold me".  Even though some nights it's nearly impossible to accomodate that, I always try to make a point to "hold" her for a couple of minutes because I know she won't always want to snuggle.  I have a friend who can identify.  Her daughter is going through a stage right now, where she doesn't want Mom out of her sight. 

Then I think about me and God. Have I ever really wanted to snuggle up that close to Him? Have I ever really felt that I would melt down without touching Him?  Have I ever rooted my head up under His arm while in worship?  Have I ever stood on His feet while singing?  Have I ever been fearful of letting God out of my sight?  He would never have to "fit me in" to a hectic evening.  He would never tell me that I needed to sit in my own lawn chair and give Him a break. 

Listen to what Jesus says to his people in Jerusalem:

     "....How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." Matthew 23:37

Look at that - He WANTS to gather you under his wings and snuggle up close, but we are unwilling.

My dear Jesus, thank you for the shelter of your wings.  I pray for the desire to be like my daughter in relationship to you.  Please grow my desire to snuggle up close to you and to have to be touching you all of the time just to survive.  I need a fear of never letting you out of my sight. 


Amy Dotson, RPDOTK (Royal Princess Daughter Of The King)