By Jean Burden
My newest favorite thing is FaceTime. When I was little, I was fascinated with the Jetsons and how they could see each other on a screen when they talked. Well, the future is here, and I love it. Earlier this week my daughter and I used FaceTime to connect from South Carolina to Texas, and what a joy it was! My granddaughter squealed with delight when she saw my face, and I squealed appropriately in response. It’s not as good as being there in person, but it sure is closer than just hearing their voices. I was able to enjoy the smiles and almost feel like I was sitting there on the bed with them, laughing and talking and just loving each other. And this got me to thinking about mature relationships.
When I was a little girl, I loved my daddy. Once a year, he and my mom would go on a company trip, and I would stay with my Grandmother Johns. I was always excited for them to return, simply because I loved them but also because they always returned with “stuff.” Little trinkets from their trip for my sisters and me. We would hug them first, and then ask, “What did you bring me?” It’s not that we didn’t love them simply for returning; we were just young and immature, and somehow we always expected something more than just their presence. Today it’s different. I am more mature — thank goodness — and I adore my daddy just for being who he is. My father and my friend . . . one who loves me unconditionally. We have no expectations for each other except that we love each other. We don’t need gifts or trinkets anymore. We just need each other. I want to hear his voice and see his face and enjoy being his daughter, and this is what our relationship should be with God as well.
Too often we look to God only as Provider. “God, I need this, and I need that. God, I need you to meet this need and answer this prayer.” Are those bad things? No. Absolutely not. God tells us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. But that should never be the priority of our relationship with God. The most important part of our connection with God, the Father, is to seek His face, to desire simply to be in His presence and be loved by Him. We need to squeal with delight every time we sense His presence, and we need to hunger for time with Him, simply because of who He is — not what He can do for us. We need to call on His name every morning to start our day, talking with our Creator and our Savior. We need to call on His name continuously throughout the day, living with an attitude of thankfulness for Him and His love. We need to call on His name in the evening as we prepare to rest, trusting that He is with us in the darkest night, just as my earthly father used to watch over me after I went to sleep. God wants to meet our every need, but first we must delight in Him. Delight. What a wonderful word to characterize our connection to God. Pure, honest delight.
So today I encourage you to approach God as Father. Ask Him for some FaceTime just because you want to sense His presence and feel the love of the one who loves you and me unconditionally. Spend time at the foot of the Cross where Jesus gave His life for us out of total love and sacrifice; thank Him for that incredible gift. Talk to Him, love Him, and know Him more intimately with each conversation, and the more you know Him, the more you will hunger for Him and seek His face. And then, take your requests to God, who is waiting to bless you because you are His child. FaceTime with the Father will put a smile on your face and peace in your heart, and there is no greater thing than this: being a child of the King.
