Sunday in the Park with God – Mary Henderson
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Sunday in the Park with God

11 Jul Sunday in the Park with God

Posted at 21:16h in Necessary Life Skills, Spiritual Perspectives by
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July 11, 2011

Two ginormous exams. Selling a house. Buying a house. Moving to Colorado. Moving to Texas. Selling a book. Writing a book.

2011 has involved too many varied foci. (Don’t you love that word?)

But finally, I’m sitting on a bench in a lush Colorado park, and life has slowed down slightly. I’m here for 7 weeks helping to lead xTrack, a program preparing Campus Crusade staff to adapt cross-culturally before they disperse in 2 months to nations around the globe.

Sitting here, I have a stack of papers with work to accomplish, calls to make, a to-do list to do.

But the sun feels warm, and the tall trees surrounding me gracefully sway, their leaves shimmering, enticing me, inviting. Shaking off their drug-like effect, I try to force myself to look down at the papers on my lap, willing myself to focus.

But there’s a Voice whispering, the wind swooshing through tall grass, echoing, “Be still. Just be here with Me. Sit in my love.”

A small battle ensues within, but I gradually yield to Love, His voice wooing me to rest, to realize that strong arms are encircling me, to think deeply of being cherished, adored, even liked….by the Creator of the universe.

Why do I fight this experience in my life with busy-ness? Today I rediscover the immense pleasure of sitting for an hour just feeling  Love, exploring and savoring what it means to have a loving Dad who oversees and controls everything in existence and yet enjoys being here with me.

For this moment, I am a child sitting on my Dad’s lap, leaning my head on His chest as He strokes my hair. Safety. Warmth. Affection. Sweetness.

After a while, I’m about to reluctantly leave the bench, but contemplating the fact that I don’t have to leave this reality. The trick is staying here inwardly, while engaging in the visible world. This is the way to health…spiritually, emotionally, physically. “Remaining in Him,” as Jesus put it:

“Remain in Me, as I also remain in you…I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit…As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.” John 15: 4, 5, 9