lessons from the crib

We let Savannah cry her heart out the other night...for a long time. And she didn't stop. So, like the judge being nagged by the persistent widow, I went in, fed her and she snuggled on down for a long winter's nap. I was thinking about this the day after. It just kills me to hear her cry like that...especially when I'm the one she wants, and know that my very presence and embrace will calm her and bring her peaceful rest. Isn't it like that with our heavenly Father? At times we are so desperate for His present help that all we can do is cry out to him with all we've got. In His grace, He so often comes quickly. "Call to me and I will answer you..." Jer. 33:3. I think of the allegory "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard. When Much Afraid is on the deepest and darkest hour, she cries for The Shepherd and he comes leaping and bounding over the highest hills, driest deserts, roughest terrain...just to be with her. To bring her peace, perspective, security and His loving touch. And yet, there are times when I have called out to my Lord to come to my rescue and He has not shown Himself to me. Why? Why wouldn't He let me know His presence? Why would He let me keep on crying? His ways are higher than mine, but perhaps some of His reasons are shadowed in why I didn't got running to my baby girl when she needed me. One, I knew she was OK. I could hear her in the monitor. I had checked on her at the beginning of her cries. And like our heavenly Father, I was awake with her. I wanted her to know that she could fall back to sleep on her own...to build "strength" in her, if you will. Much like our God. In His silence and sovereign choice to not respond in the way we would like, He is strengthing us...our faith, our character, our minds. What deep trust our Father puts in us when He allows us to feel our pain a bit longer than we would like. So, what did I want to do that night? Oh, I wanted to run in there, hold my little one, put her to my breast and rock her gently back to sleep...and eventually I did. And so will our Jesus. But let us trust His timing and His ways. Trust Him in the silence. Know He is listening to your every word, your every cry for help. Yes, He longs to hold you, hug you, kiss you, whisper His love to you. "The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with singing. He will quiet you with His love." Zeph 3:17. Keep crying out to Him. Hope in His promises. And if it seems He is not answering you right away. Call out again. And again. "So let us know. Let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn. And He shall come like the spring rain watering the earth." Hosea 6:3. He loves you, baby girl.