Focus

I remember the intensity in her eyes, the seriousness of her voice, the comfort of her presence and the shock to me as I came out of my panic. I was only about 5 and was on the neighbors front porch waiting for my friend to come out and play. Randy's tricycle was unoccupied so I hopped on for a ride around the porch. Well, not actually around the porch as it wasn't that big, it was actually a ride a bit forward, then back and over again. I was just sitting and waiting, until I found myself strangely on the ground with the trike on top of me.

Somehow I had dropped a back wheel off the porch and back I went down that long 18 inch drop. It happened so fast that I didn't remember the fall, just the sudden stop! And did my head hurt. Embarrassed, I got up and walked toward across the yard towards my house holding the back of my aching head.

That's when I felt the warm goo, brought my hand around to see what I had fell into and discovered the bright red of my own blood. The walking turned to running, calm turned to panic and the quiet turned to screams. I can only imagine what my Mom felt as I entered the house, blood dripping down my hand and the back of my neck, but I do remember her soft hands cupping my face and those calm eyes looking into mine and telling me it was going to be okay.

There was something about that embrace that broke my panic, that helped me to see more clearly. I was reacting the way 5 year olds react, maybe the way many of us still react to tragic circumstances, but my reaction was met with peace, with great love and it turned my attention to what was best for me, to reveal what actually happened, what hurt, what's next.

That's how I imagine God, a tender, loving parent that will take us by the face and help us focus. No matter where our attention goes, how wildly we react to life's circumstances, what's actually happening, God is always there to bring peace to His children, to lead them to a safe place, a better place, to turn our faces to very face of God.

When Israel was only a child, I loved him..but he ran off and left me.
Still I stuck with him, led him, rescued him...I was the one pulling his wagon, lifted him to my cheek, bent down to feed him...And why? Because I am God and not a human. I'm the Holy One and I'm here - in your midst. Hosea 11: selected verses

It was a quick trip to the hospital that day, my aunt held me on her lap with a wash cloth against my head. A few stitches later we were headed back home. The healing process well on it's way...O not because of the stitches, but because of the hands on my face turning my eyes and ears toward a voice of reason, to help me focus on what's important, what's real, what's right.

It's what God does to help us focus and bring us...


...Peace ><>
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