Come here, 1,2,3...

How many parents have said this to thier running toddler? "Come here, come here, okay that's it, 1...2...3...4...4 1/2....4 3/4..."

Today I read Hosea 11.1-2 and it reminded me of a stage my son was going through a few years ago. There was a time when he had about 5 months of walking under his belt that he enjoyed running away from us. He thought it was funny. He especially liked to go to the end of a long aisle (like at a supermarket) and play run around. When we'd go one way he'd go the other. HE thought it was funny, we thought it was VERY frustrating. It can also be a very dangerous game. I remember vividly a time when he was in that stage that we were leaving a restaraunt on Virginia Beach Blvd, a very busy street, and as soon as we walked out the doors he took off toward the street. He was laughing and thought this was fun to run from Dad. The more I called the faster he ran, until I took off running. His foot was about to step off the curb and down onto the blacktop, when I reached him and snatched him back. Cars whizzed by.

"When Israel was a child, I loved him...the more I called them, the more they went from me....Yet I was to them like those who lift infants to thier cheeks." I am reminded today of how much God loves us, and how uninformed and immature our running from him truly is. Instead of running from, today I choose to run WITH him!

Falling Into Mercy

Okay so this morning I'm reading about David in the OT (1 Chron. 21). And he messes up and takes a census of Israel. Presumably an excercise of doubt, which neither David's right hand man Joab, nor God found appropriate. So David must choose his punishment for disobedience- three years of famine, three months of being overcome by the sword Isreal's enemies, or 3 days of plague (sent by the LORD). David takes no time in choosing the 3 days of the Lord's 'sword' saying, "Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but let me not fall into the hands of men."

I can relate to David at this point because I've found that God is alot more merciful than human beings are. Some people are kind and compassionate, but many can be quite vengeful and uggg-ly! I get David... he's like, given the choice I'll go with the mercy of God everytime. It's not worth the risk. I'll go with the One I know is consistently loving and merciful and good. I'll go with falling into the hands of God. Trusting some people is like a Benny Henn altar call gone bad, when you swoon you think they're gonna catch you, but to the floor you fall like a brick. I choose the mercy of God.