I'LL MEET YOU THERE
DAY 40: In the latest parental miscommunication with my kids, my son and I just couldn't seem to connect - literally. Our son Bailey in his second year of college had been at home working on a class assignment. Then, all too predictably, he got to class and realized he forgot to take his work. I got one of those urgent texts: MOM I NEED U
While it is awesome to think I was needed, the text should have more accurately read: MOM I NEED U TO BAIL ME OUT. Either way, I like coming to the rescue when I can. So I answered: WANT DO U NEED
He asked if I would bring his homework and meet him on campus. I WILL MEET U IN THE PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF THE STUDENT CENTER, he wrote. I confirmed: OKAY I WILL MEET U IN THE CIRCLE DRIVE. Thankfully, we live only ten minutes from the campus, so I jumped in my car and headed that way. As soon as I pulled up I text that I had arrived. I AM WALKING THAT WAY. He responded: - 1 MINUTE AWAY.
To save precious seconds, I got out of my car and walked toward the common area in front of the student center. I was sure I would intersect him since all student traffic funneled in from the academic buildings. I looked. I waited. I looked. Frustrated I finally text:
Me: WHERE R U????????
Bailey: I'M HERE
Me: NO UR NOT
Bailey: YES I AM - WHERE R U?
Me: IN THE CIRCLE DRIVE -DON"T YOU SEE MY CAR???
Bailey: I SAID IN FRONT, THE CIRCLE ISN'T IN FRONT
Me: JUST WALK TO MY CAR!!!!!!!!!
We were only about 50 yards away from one another but couldn't connect. By the time he walked the few feet to my car around the corner I shoved his papers at him without a word and walked to my car. There was nothing left to say. The search had left me too frustrated to pursue him any further.
I admit, that there have been times when I have felt that meeting with God was just as challenging. I spent so much time trying to find Him but just couldn't seem to connect that I eventually gave up. In hindsight, it wasn't that God was hard to find as it was I was wandering in the wrong places. Today as I read His words, I see that God greatly desires to be found. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament passages I read today I saw God going the extra mile to make sure that His people would find Him.
In Exodus 30, God had just finished giving instruction about building a very special place where He would come and dwell among His people whom He just freed from bondage in Egypt. For 400 years they had not known God's presence, but now, God made Himself accessible. He designed His own dwelling not as a place for Him to live, but as a place for Him to be found. After giving all the instructions he said to Moses:
EXODUS 30:6 ...I will meet with you there.
God made an appointment and gave directions about where He could be found. Israel had only to be there. Back then it was only the priest who met Him, but when Jesus came, the meeting doors were thrown open.
As I read in Matthew 26 on this same day, Jesus predicted His death but told his disciples what they could expect:
32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
Jesus life would be restored and his first priority was to meet with those he loved. They didn't have to play hide and seek or follow a special map, Jesus would be where He could be found - and it made the location clear. It was up to the disciples to be there.
As I read these words, "I will meet you there" spoken to both Israel and Jesus disciples and I knew God was also telling me: I will meet you there. So where is the "there" He speaks of today?
Scripture gives the directions: "God is not far from any of us, since it is in God that we live and move and exist." (Acts 17:28) "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
We never have to "just miss" God. We don't need a GPS or special instructions. He will never misunderstand where we want to meet Him. He is GOD WITH US, EMANUEL. We are the new dwelling place of God. We are the priests who can enter His presence. We are the friends He seeks out. It is as simple as this: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
When we draw near in His word, in prayer, in silence, in song, in worship - we can be sure to hear Him say: I will meet you there.
I'm so glad I met Him there today! He is waiting for you, too.
Day 40 of 365 days with God:
Exodus 29
Exodus 30:1-10
Matthew 26:14-46
Psalm 31:19-24
Proverbs 8:14-26
While it is awesome to think I was needed, the text should have more accurately read: MOM I NEED U TO BAIL ME OUT. Either way, I like coming to the rescue when I can. So I answered: WANT DO U NEED
He asked if I would bring his homework and meet him on campus. I WILL MEET U IN THE PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF THE STUDENT CENTER, he wrote. I confirmed: OKAY I WILL MEET U IN THE CIRCLE DRIVE. Thankfully, we live only ten minutes from the campus, so I jumped in my car and headed that way. As soon as I pulled up I text that I had arrived. I AM WALKING THAT WAY. He responded: - 1 MINUTE AWAY.
To save precious seconds, I got out of my car and walked toward the common area in front of the student center. I was sure I would intersect him since all student traffic funneled in from the academic buildings. I looked. I waited. I looked. Frustrated I finally text:
Me: WHERE R U????????
Bailey: I'M HERE
Me: NO UR NOT
Bailey: YES I AM - WHERE R U?
Me: IN THE CIRCLE DRIVE -DON"T YOU SEE MY CAR???
Bailey: I SAID IN FRONT, THE CIRCLE ISN'T IN FRONT
Me: JUST WALK TO MY CAR!!!!!!!!!
We were only about 50 yards away from one another but couldn't connect. By the time he walked the few feet to my car around the corner I shoved his papers at him without a word and walked to my car. There was nothing left to say. The search had left me too frustrated to pursue him any further.
I admit, that there have been times when I have felt that meeting with God was just as challenging. I spent so much time trying to find Him but just couldn't seem to connect that I eventually gave up. In hindsight, it wasn't that God was hard to find as it was I was wandering in the wrong places. Today as I read His words, I see that God greatly desires to be found. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament passages I read today I saw God going the extra mile to make sure that His people would find Him.
In Exodus 30, God had just finished giving instruction about building a very special place where He would come and dwell among His people whom He just freed from bondage in Egypt. For 400 years they had not known God's presence, but now, God made Himself accessible. He designed His own dwelling not as a place for Him to live, but as a place for Him to be found. After giving all the instructions he said to Moses:
EXODUS 30:6 ...I will meet with you there.
God made an appointment and gave directions about where He could be found. Israel had only to be there. Back then it was only the priest who met Him, but when Jesus came, the meeting doors were thrown open.
As I read in Matthew 26 on this same day, Jesus predicted His death but told his disciples what they could expect:
32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
Jesus life would be restored and his first priority was to meet with those he loved. They didn't have to play hide and seek or follow a special map, Jesus would be where He could be found - and it made the location clear. It was up to the disciples to be there.
As I read these words, "I will meet you there" spoken to both Israel and Jesus disciples and I knew God was also telling me: I will meet you there. So where is the "there" He speaks of today?
Scripture gives the directions: "God is not far from any of us, since it is in God that we live and move and exist." (Acts 17:28) "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
We never have to "just miss" God. We don't need a GPS or special instructions. He will never misunderstand where we want to meet Him. He is GOD WITH US, EMANUEL. We are the new dwelling place of God. We are the priests who can enter His presence. We are the friends He seeks out. It is as simple as this: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
When we draw near in His word, in prayer, in silence, in song, in worship - we can be sure to hear Him say: I will meet you there.
I'm so glad I met Him there today! He is waiting for you, too.
Day 40 of 365 days with God:
Exodus 29
Exodus 30:1-10
Matthew 26:14-46
Psalm 31:19-24
Proverbs 8:14-26
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