Run into His Arms
by Lindsey Hanekom
Our son, Kyle, attends a group called ‘Messy 2s’ for two hours every Wednesday, where he is left with some brave and capable workers who care for sixteen two-year olds in a melee of paint, water, sand and other fun things.
Although I enjoy some peace and quiet at home during this time, the biggest joy for me is the special moment when I return to take him home.
At 3pm the children are let out and my view of the room blurs into only one face. My son, running, arms wide-open, straight towards me with a look of pure delight on his face. I bend down and receive him into my open arms as though we have been separated for days not hours. I lift him up and hug him long and hard as he starts to tell me of all the fun that he has had, including any trouble he may have got into.
As I was waiting this week, I found myself considering how I would feel if Kyle didn’t run to me but hid away or held back, reluctant to come and receive my love. As I pondered this, my heart began to ache. What a sadness that would be to me.
It reminded me of this wonderful story of a Father who is awaiting our response to His unconditional love – arms outstretched, ready to receive us. Why then, do so many of us respond to Him with reservations, holding back from receiving the fullness of his love? Is it because of our guilt and shame? Is it because we don’t think we have done enough to earn it?
We should not let out past mistakes, wrong behaviours or messy lives prevent us from receiving the fullness of God’s love. We need to come to him with an open and honest heart, ready to confess and repent but doing it from a place of a loving embrace of a Father that has waited ever so patiently for us. Not doing so only hurts the heart of God. Just as my heart ached at the very thought of Kyle not running to me, God’s heart aches for each and every one of us who hold back from receiving His love.
If you really want to please God, this is the way to do it. Just run, arms open wide, vulnerable and totally honest, into His loving arms and receive all that He has for you.
Prayer: Father God, help me to open my heart completely to You and accept Your love. I’m sorry that I’ve saddened You by holding back in areas of my life because I thought they were too dirty or messy for You. I want to open my whole heart to You and know Your love in the very depths of my heart. Amen.
Lindsey Hanekom Lindsey has worked at all of our UK centres over the years and has settled at Ellel Scotland with her husband, Johann and their two young children, Kyle and Zoe. As part of the Leadership Team at Ellel Scotland, Lindsey has a heart for the deeply broken as she oversees the prayer ministry and is an established and passionate teacher with Ellel. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys the natural world, particularly the ocean, and is trained as a specialist medic to assist stranded and injured marine mammals.
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