My grandma sent me a letter every week from the moment I went to college to the moment she was physically unable to do so. Twelve years of weekly letters. Amazing.
As an 18, 19, 20-year old, I took that for granted. Yes, I appreciated it, but now as a busy momma, the thought of sending weekly letters to someone who would only respond once or twice a year makes me tear up.
My grandma didn’t send me letters thinking that I would reply. She sent me letters out of pure unselfish love.
I recently read a quote by John Ortberg that states, “The test of love is that it gives even when there is no expectation of a return.” My grandma absolutely passed that test.
She has now passed, and I read her kept letters and wished that I had responded more. She didn’t expect me to, but what if I had?
What does a relationship look like when one person is always available, always present, always ready? And the other? Well, they take their time in a selfish pursuit of the busy?
Friends, I’m pretty sure this is what a relationship with Jesus is like if we don’t respond to Him.
In the book “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World,” they share a vision of Jesus like a close friend that is waiting in your living room for a conversation. As we race by, we say, “Just a second!” Or “I’ll be ready in just a minute,” but ultimately we never take the time to get to our guest. I find I do that with my kids sometimes… I also do that with Jesus.
What if we stopped passing Him by? What if we stopped to encounter Jesus as if He was waiting in our living room excited to talk? Well, He is. So let’s pause to connect.
My grandma was always present when I needed her. Guess what? Jesus is even more present.
When I did talk to my grandma on the phone or send her a letter, I could tell she was almost giddy. Just waiting for me, her beloved granddaughter, to chat.
I would argue that Jesus does the same.
He wants to connect. He wants any conversation you will lend. He has written letters upon letters (The Bible) to us on how much He loves us, and He is just waiting in return for a simple conversation. He indeed loves without expectation, but oh how He wants more. He wants to tell you He loves you not just through the letters, but in the conversation and natural rhythms of your life.
My grandma is gone. I can’t pick up the phone and tell her I love her or talk to her about my day or my kiddos. But, Jesus, He’s still waiting. He’s still in the living room, and the most natural thing for us to do is take a few minutes and say, “Hello.”
Maybe it’s 3 minutes in prayer a day or 10 minutes of reading the Bible; perhaps we can do even better.
But when you think of Him as a friend waiting in your living room, we wouldn’t walk by without stopping to make Him feel welcome. We wouldn’t wait to meet Him until our to-do list is finished or everything is perfect. So this week make Him a priority. Realize He is already waiting for you and say, “Hello.” After all, that’s how all relationships start. HLLF – Melissa
