Ellie on my Lap

 This morning, I was sitting in the Living Room, Glen was at his desk and Ellie was looking out the window.  As is her habit, she came over to sit on my lap.  I welcomed her up into my chair and into my lap, put aside what I was doing and just enjoyed having her so near me.  I also enjoyed her wanting to be so near me.

Ellie resting on my lap

When Ellie is resting on your lap, or across your legs, or snuggled up in a ball next to you, it is almost impossible to move.  First of all you don't want to move, and secondly, you don't want to disturb her.  Instead of moving, I want to rub those velvety ears, and stroke her soft back and listen to her soft, gentle snore.

Ellie knows that almost all of the time I am going to welcome her into my chair.  She knows that I am not going to make her do anything to sit on my lap, simply looking at me with those big, brown eyes is enough.  In fact, as I was typing this, that is exactly what she did.

She knows she is always welcome, she is always loved.

As she napped on my lap, I compared Ellie's relationship with me to my relationship to God.  I know from Scriptures that the Lord loves us to turn our attention to Him. 

"...the prayer of the upright is His delight." Proverbs 15:8

 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only requirement to entering into fellowship with God.  We are welcomed anytime, anyplace.  There is nothing we have to do first to be accepted by Him because our faith in Christ has made us "accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6).

As I sat rubbing Ellie's ears and enjoying her nearness, I thought of all the times I
could have been giving the same sort of pleasure, in fact, delight, to the heart of God.  But I let other things, other distractions pull my attention from Him.  

I chose poorly.

 Of all the things I have a choice of doing, communing with the Lord of the Universe is one.  And I can do that while I do other things as well.  Why then do I fail so often to do so?  Perhaps I don't know well enough or understand or believe the joy that it brings to His heart.  Or perhaps I don't know well enough or understand or believe the great simplicity of communion with God.  Or I don't know well enough or understand or believe the great price our Lord Jesus Christ paid for me to have total and free access to the Throne of Grace.  My lack of knowledge, understanding and belief however, never changes the truth of the matter, God loves me and He wants me to freely come to Him anytime, anywhere about anything and everything. Like Ellie, I am always welcome, I am always loved.

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, 
and His ears are open unto their prayers:" 
1 Peter 3:12

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,

That we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:16