We are waiting on this little guy to crawl, but even more so walk. As I was spending time with him today, making sure the diet is working, helping him get his motor skills, practice walking him with his little tiny hands wrapped around my one finger for dear life…I was along with everyone else cheering him on every step of the way. I reminded me of a sermon I heard that changed my perspective of God’s love for me. When Marvin does take those first few wobbly steps and falls hard down again, none of us are going to look at him in disappointment or frustration for not being able to walk 3 steps instead of 2. We will not yell at him and say, “Marvin, really it’s just one foot in front of the other, very simple. I can’t believe you can’t get this” We will react like he just ran a marathon and it’s like this with every child when they learn to take their first steps. 

This is a perfect picture of us and our walks with Him. We so often beat ourselves up when we can only take a few steps at a time and then we fall again. And again. And again. We think Jesus is looking at us saying the very same thing, “Dacia, you fell down AGAIN? This is simple, one foot in front of the other…how can you not get this?” in a voice of disappointment and anger. But just as a parent tells everyone after the first steps…calls everyone, post on facebook, and can’t stop smiling over their child’s accomplishment..that is Jesus for us. Every time we take a few steps He is acting just as a crazy as I will the day Marvin crawls or walks..but even more so. He knows the fall is coming after a few steps…but He will tell us to get back up and try again. 

He knows how many falls we are going to have before He makes us whole and look like we all desire to look like, to be who we desire to be, who He desires us to be. He knows that some of these falls are going to scratch us, scar us, and sometimes we might even lose a limb. But He knows how many falls we have to take. So after every fall, picture Him telling you to get up and go again. After the 1,100 fall you don’t want to get back up, but that is when He lays down face down on the ground next to you and reminds you that you only have 10 more to go…9 more, 8 more…we can do this…and then it gets to 1..and He calls you home. He loves us. He loves you. He is ecstatic with your two wobbly steps. He rejoices and cheers you on.