The Power of Reach
The noise was intense, the scents varied, and the gestures were dramatic! It was a crowded room full of humans doing what humans do when we interact.
In the middle of this conglomerate of motions, one tiny and seemingly insignificant movement caught my eye. All the way across an ocean of people, my one-year-old grandson was reaching for me. Not only were his arms fully extended in my direction, but his pudgy little hands were opening and closing in a rhythmic cadence that spoke a dialect of love that he and I share. His body language was saying, come to me, hold me, I want to be with you!
In that instant, I saw nor heard nothing but him. It was as if we had our own private channel of communication. I honed in on his beckoning plea and negotiated a path to him.
Nothing else mattered but him. There were some powerful people present that would shake my hand or say affirming words to me that day. But all wained in comparison to his reach. In fact, it was his reach that made him more significant than anything or anyone else at that time.
I remember thinking does anyone else see this? I wanted everyone to know how I was loved, needed and admired. For a moment, in my mind, I imagined I was in the slow-motion clip of a movie, and people were noticing every detail of this passionate exchange between a grandson and his Pop. His uninhibited expression to be with me would be the ultimate compliment on this day.
There is no such thing as a passive reach. I wonder if our reach for our Heavenly Father is noticeable? Does anyone else see it? Is it a token, or does it involve our motion and emotions?
The greatest compliment you could ever pay Him is the compliment of reach. Not only your arms reaching up and out but your very heart feeling and reciprocating the compassion He has for you.
For too long, we have underestimated the power of a reach. A reach is a genuine heartfelt activity that causes us to stretch beyond comfortable. It's our way of saying to Him, "I'm passionately interested."
Your tears have a way of descending to depths never visited.
Your shouts climb mountains where the air is fresh.
Your dance has a way of stomping the head of any serpent of harm
Allow your deep to call unto His deep.
With all stops out and everything that's within you, just reach!
Job 11:13-19 (The Message)
"Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him,
If you scrub your hands of sin
and refuse to entertain evil in your home, You'll be able to face the world unashamed
and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless.
You'll forget your troubles;
they'll be like old, faded photographs.
Your world will be washed in sunshine,
every shadow dispersed by
Full of hope, you'll relax, confident again;
you'll look around, sit back, and take it easy.
Expansive, without a care in the world,
you'll be hunted out by many for your blessing."
Jesus' brother, James said, "reach out for God, and He will reach out for you..." (James 4:8 - my paraphrase)
Pay your Heavenly Father a compliment! REACH!