Come Be With Me
“Come be with me.”
I probably said that a dozen times during the week when our son was home from college.
It was good to have his presence here again. His words and laughter filled the empty spaces. More food was eaten. I did his laundry. Cut his hair.
We ate out as a family, but other than that, it was an average week. I felt we should do something epic, like a beach day (but our kids hate the beach, and my husband traveled).
But that’s ok. We didn’t need to do anything special together. I just wanted him to be with me.
I wanted to be in his presence, hear his stories, sift through his fears, learn what he’s learned.
So, like a creepy person, I followed him around the house.
When he watched TV, I sat with him. While he tinkered with his computer, I sat on his bed and read a book. Whenever I noticed him unoccupied, I called him over, “Come be with me.”
Each time I did, I couldn’t help but think that this is how God views us.
How He Sees Us
As I go about my day, often weighed down by tasks or worries, God patiently waits.
When I slow down enough to be with Him, the temptation is to make that time productive. Purposeful. I’m a soldier, reporting for duty, ready for my orders.
But He just wants to be with me.
I come with agendas. My prayer list, or the Bible study I’m doing.
But He just wants to be with me.
Or I convince myself it’s not that important to Him if I come or not. It should be epic, right? Meaningful time. Spiritual progress. Mountains moved. I should make it worth His while.
Yet God says, “Just come. Be with me.”
Yes, feel free to bring the needful tasks of your day. He will speak to them. But so much more He simply wants our presence. He wants to listen to our stories, sift through our fears, hear what we’re learning.
It’s unfathomable to me that God might miss us while we’re off trying to save the world, but He does. He watches us in our busy days and whispers, “Come be with me.”
Cease your doing. I just want to enjoy you. I love to spend time with you. I’m glad you’re here.
Whether we come in our filthy rags or we come in all our glory, minds quieted and at rest, or cluttered with the tasks of the day, He wants us to come.
I want to cultivate this awareness in my life-wherever I am, He is there. He is waiting. Waiting to sing over me, to listen, to laugh, to simply be alongside me.
“Your God is present among you,
a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
and delight you with his songs.”
Zephaniah 3:17, The Message
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Warning: Don’t Forget to Breathe