“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

1st John 4:16

Yesterday a family that moved away a couple years ago came back to visit us at church. It was wonderful to see them, to connect and rekindle, and to get caught up. It was a joy to see them and worship with them. 

When was the last time you visited and rekindled with an old friend?

A group of us went to lunch to celebrate their visit. Including Ms. Bonnie. Despite the fact that she told me she was 1,000 million years old, Ms Bonnie is only 5. A precious 5 year old with just the right amounts of adorableness, sass, and ornery. My kids were with me and they enjoyed playing and talking with and keeping Bonnie busy while we were waiting for food. Things were going great. 

Then Ms. Bonnie had to pulled aside. She got in some trouble—as 5 year olds do from time to time. She was sad. She was tired. And the adults were talking for a long time.

Have you gotten in trouble and it soured your mood? And, it was only after this that you realized how tired you were? This was Bonnie. And who could blame her. We’ve all be there.

But, this was when the magic happened. I was sitting on the booth side of the table. All my kids left with their big brother so the entire booth next to me was wide open. I looked at sweet, sad, and tired Bonnie and asked if she wanted to come and snuggle next to me while we finished our conversation.

She looked up at her grandma, whispered in her ear, and then climbed across the long bench right up next to me. I got to rub her back, give her a hug, and help her feel safe and sound. It didn’t take long before little Ms. Bonnie climbed up into my lap. I held her and kept rubbing her back and making her feel at peace.

Soon she was pulling that glorious head nod as she was fighting sleep. It’s been a minute since a little girl fell asleep on my lap. But, what a delight. What a joy to be entrusted with this gift!

She felt loved. And was comforted in my arms. And I felt loved by her trust and comfort with me. 

Are you tired? Worn out by the challenges you face and the hardships before you? Does sadness drape over you? The invitation of the Father is for you to crawl into His lap to find your rest. There is something beautiful in your faith that finds solace in the lap of the Lord. In His arms you find protection. In His arms you take comfort. In His arms you find your rest. 

This is the Father’s love. His invitation is to abide in Him. There are lots of ways to define abide. But, today, abiding looks like a 5 year old climbing into the lap of a trusted loved one to find rest and peace. Abiding looks like finding comfort in the Savior’s arms when life is not life giving.

But it doesn’t stop there. God’s love is a place of refuge for you. But it is a calling on your life to be a place of refuge for others. Chances are pretty good that this doesn’t mean being a place where 5 year olds get some needed shut eye after a long morning. But, you are called to be a comforter for others. To be someone who makes a way for others. You are called to assist others in the hardships they face. In short, uplift life in and for others, and walk with them in their time of need.

This is one of the ways that God’s love is real and manifested among us. In the way that we love one another.

Whatever your day holds, these two realities are true. God’s lap is waiting for you to climb up into to find rest and peace. And, there are people in your life who need the comfort and peace of Jesus that you can provide through your love and embrace. Lean into both today.

Who in your life needs a word and place of comfort today? How will you give it to them?