I was focused on worship. Standing in the second row at church, I was singing and meditating on the words my heart believed. My youngest daughter stood in front of me.
I was not expecting her to fall backwards at that moment.
Yet, when she did, I caught her easily and tightly wrapped my arms around her. She knew I would. In fact, she was counting on it.
Over the last three and a half years, we’ve practiced the moves to our attachment dance. We’ve developed the glue that bond our hearts to one another. I don’t mind when she tests me. It shows me that she now believes I will be ready. I won’t drop her; I can support her. As I hugged her and continued singing, I thought of how Jesus calls us to fall into His arms daily.
Our frail human attachment dance continues with Jesus, as we persist in tripping, swaying, twirling, and jumping to and fro in our walk with God. We make things hard. The simple truth is that He desires us to cast aside our desire to fend for ourselves. A dance is not what He requests. He yearns to care for us. His arms are ready to carry us.
1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
Since every intimate fact about us was so intricately woven together before we were born, He knows exactly what we desire, and more importantly, what we need.
We aren’t called to rest in the Lord; we were chosen to abide in Him.
Resting would mean that we run to Jesus when we need Him. Abide means we choose to stay there, dependent upon Him for every single need.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5
Apart from God, we can do nothing. As we abide in Him, we acknowledge that He reigns over our lives. Control is relinquished. Not once. But daily. Yet, it is not through a dance. Not a give and take partnership. It is by trusting and believing, by placing ourselves under the dominion of Jesus because we realize and desire our intense need for Him.
We must freely submit to Jesus, allowing Him to grow in us and change us, moment by moment.
Permanent change is not fast; it is not easy. But it is necessary, and it is good. Fall backwards today. Straight into His arms. Abide and rest. Cast your cares upon Him.