Still

The other night, my husband took our two older girls to meet with our small group from church. Our newborn daughter was not quite ready to make her debut (or it's quite possible I didn't feel like putting on anything besides a t-shirt and stretchy pants . . .)which left me with an unusually quiet home for a few hours.

Music is almost constantly in the background at our house. Usually some kind of praise and worship because goodness knows I need to "set my heart on things above" when "earthly things" include running interference between a grumpy preschooler, a tired toddler and a wailing newborn. (And why, oh why, do those always occur at the very same time??)

Anyway.

With the ever-present music in the background that night, the little one snuggled up in my arms and drifted off to sleep. Looking at her sweet, peaceful face I was suddenly reminded of how I used to play lullabies to our oldest and dance her around the room when she was that age.

I whispered to our sweet one how I missed doing that with the other two (time does fly by so quickly) and so seized the opportunity. Carly Simon poured "Julie Through the Glass" through the speakers and we swirled and swayed through the kitchen.

Whether it was the song (it wrecks me every time but it's so beautiful) or the moment , I couldn't stop the tears down my face as I realized how still and content my daughter was in my arms. No one had to convince her to settle down, she didn't protest or busy herself with other things. All she knew was she was in mommy's arms and all was well.

What really wrecked me was realizing how much more our Heavenly Father must long for us, His children, to be that still in His own arms. To not have to be convinced being still is good, to not protest or busy ourselves. But to just be still and know we our in our Father's arms and all is well.

And, suddenly, I longed to be that infant in His arms. To feel that kind of peace and security. Not coincidentally, a few verses sprang to mind . . .

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

And one of my favorites:

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (italics mine)

Just as I soaked up every moment singing over the very picture of peace and contentment in my arms that night, God, too, longs for us to be still in His arms as He sings over us.

Snuggle up in His arms, little one. God's lullaby is calling you. Shhhhh . . .