Up Close and Personal

Yesterday my daughter and I attended her "friend's" birthday party at an indoor playground. About halfway in, all the kid's were having a great time and I was chatting with a friend when we were interrupted by screams of horror. I looked up to see a little girl run across the room, shrieking, to her mother. Confused and concerned, I tried to see why she was so terrified. I smiled, relieved, as I saw the cause of her fear. Greeting the children was a 5-foot tall Nemo character from the movie "Finding Nemo." Most of the children shied away from him, although a few were brave enough to approach him and give high-fives or hugs. Even the birthday girl, who requested his presence, teared up and ran away when he arrived! It was amusing that a character who is so loved on the television is so unwelcome when in person and larger than life!

This made me think a lot about how I view God. I think that sometimes I like to keep Him at arm's length. There are times when I pray that God would make His will known to me or reveal Himself more to me. But sometimes I shy away from His response. It can be overwhelming to experience God so up close and personal. This is the God who created everything that there is, the One who has the power to defy the "laws" of Nature that we have, the One with the power to defy even death itself. He also speaks to us through His Holy Spirit, He continues to heal people in miraculous ways, and encounters us in many other ways. I love to read about these awesome acts of God in the Bible, but when I see the power of God work that way in my own life, it can be a little scary because it is so unlike anything else I experience!

Let's revisit the birthday party and Nemo character. Although the 3 and 4 year olds were frightened by the huge Nemo, my little 21 month-old was not. Though a little timid, she gave him a hug and some high fives. She had this youthful innocence and did not recognize that there was anything to be afraid of. In the same way, I need to approach God's mighty presence in my life with child-like faith. I have to embrace that innocence and realize that there is nothing to run from. Although He is so mighty and powerful and unlike anything else in the world, God is good. I pray that all of us would have faith like a child and invite God to move in awesome ways in our lives.