Jesus said, “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37).
Some time ago I saw one of our former foster children at the elementary school. I hugged him and talked to him for a few minutes. Although it was brief, there’s no way to put into words how much that short encounter meant to me.
For over two years, that little boy was our child. We took care of him when he was sick, read to him, played with him, disciplined him, and loved him as our own. Then one day, we packed up all the things a much-loved child accumulates in two years and returned him to his biological family. I wouldn’t trade that brief visit with him today for any amount of money.
As I thought about how much those few moments meant to me, I caught a glimpse of how much our heavenly Father wants to spend time with us. I realized how much He misses us when we’re too busy to do what He longs for most. I asked God to increase my desire to connect with Him in ways that are meaningful and real, ways that will satisfy the longing of His heart.
Forgive us, Father, when we like Martha, are worried and upset about many things, and we lose sight of the one thing that you value most. Amen.
