The pace of the Father

As a mom of a toddler, I feel like I spend half my day running after my little one. Between trying to keep him from jumping off the highest points he can find and keeping him away from all the hidden dangers he uncovers between the bathroom, the fridge and under the sink, it can seem I spend so much time trying to get to where he's going before he gets there. There are times though that we walk together, and rather than making him move faster, it forces me to slow my pace dramatically...

Whether or not we say it, we're always wishing our kids would hurry up. "Let's get your shoes." "Please finish your breakfast." "We have to go." All euphemisms for, "You're moving too slowly. Hurry up." Being that we chase them around, we know they can move, so we expect them to move at our speed, and keep in step with us. We forget their legs are small, and one step for us is many for them. We forget that our stride is a wide one, and that they would be left in the dust if they were expected to keep up. When their little hands meet ours, we enter into their pace, because if we tried to get them to go ours, we'd just be dragging them.

That being the case, why do so many of us believe that the Father is looking at us disappointingly and sighing, "Would you please just _______?" That blank could be a lot of things: Would you please just move on already/let it go? Would you please just get with the program? Would you please just stop holding me up? Would you please just hurry up! We believe the Father would look at us and say, "Never mind, I'll do it," like we say to our children who are taking forever to set the table or to mix the cookies. We're terrified He'll pass us by and not look back and so we run with panic trying to keep up with Him, believing He'll just take away what he's tasked us with and someone else will be called instead. We never take into account the pace of the Father.

Jesus was worshiped as Emmanuel at birth. (Matthew 2) However, it wasn't until he was 30 years old that he was baptized and began his 3 year long ministry. (Luke 3:23) Many of us feel like we've been waiting at least that long to step into what God called us to. It's easy to believe that if we don't hurry up and make things happen, that calling will disappear, and He'll just get someone else to do it. However, Jesus words in John 5, where He says he only does what He sees the Father doing (vs 19) lends to the idea that the Father's pace is not a hurried one. It's methodical, planned, intentional and as many of us have experienced in periods of waiting, slow. 

I think the pace has more to do with who He's walking with than what the speed of His true step is. He is a Father that walks with His children, like He did with Adam and Eve in the cool of the garden and with Moses and the Israelites as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The pace of children is a distracted one, and to walk with our little ones is to provide direction and protection. Walking with the Father is no different. Therefore, this isn't to suggest there is no sense of urgency with the Father, as many of his people were told, "Do this now." It's an acknowledgement that in the same way we slow down when we take our children's hand, that He knows children only move so fast. Whether it's the weight of our baggage slowing us down, or the cautious nature we might have against unknown territory, or even just the fact that our legs are stubby and our gaits are short and even if we ran with all of our might, we would never be able to keep up with Him, He is content to keep pace with us.

I believe the Father sees value in the journey we're on with Him. Allowing us to indulge in the occasional distraction that comes with being awestruck by beauty; to stop and listen to voices of wisdom along the way; to be cautious of what may be ahead and arrive at our destination prepared. The trust and relationship built from walking with Him as He leads to green pastures, still waters and through deserts and dark places is something that takes far more time than we adults are necessarily comfortable with. We just want to go, be there, get whatever it is done so that we can feel satisfied and accomplished. But that is not the pace of the Father.

I pray that as we walk with Jesus, and take his command of "Follow me" sincerely, that we would find contentment in the pace of the Father. That the promised healing that we're waiting on, the restoration we've been working toward, the place whispered into our heart the day passion was born in us, would be viewed through our hand in the Father's, knowing that He walks at the pace we set, and we will get there as long as we keep moving. I pray you would find the grace necessary to walk and not pull away and try to run ahead, but receive the preparation that comes with the journey. I pray that if you are one weighted down by baggage, you would receive His mercy, and hear the words my friend heard in the midst of unpacking her heart, "I'm here, and it's going to be ok."

Abba, thank you for showing me the benefit of slowing down to my child's pace. Thank you for settling my heart and removing the anxiety that comes from the thought that I need to hurry up. I pray that as I follow you that I would find peace in Your pace, and even though I want to dash ahead and get to the next thing, that you would assure me that You are not a God who dangles good things in front of His children to only take them away if they don't get there in time. Help me believe that the things you have planted in my heart will grow to fruition, and that as long as I walk with you, I will arrive at those things prepared to carry out whatever it is you've tasked me with. Thank you for being pleased to hold my hand. In Jesus name.