18 Oct Quieted by Love

These last few weeks have been anything but quiet:

We had a serious health scare with an immediate family member; the kind of scare that leads to strings of sleepless nights, travels, phone calls, research, and endless tearful prayers.

My husband is bogged down with freelance work on top of his day job, and the boys have been unusually fussy and demanding (developmental leaps?!). One day my back muscles decided to spasm and keep me on the floor for hours before I could move. My husband had to come home to help. Just what he needed.

In the midst of it all I hurt the tender heart of a dear friend. And still all the normal life momentum kept pushing forward and falling aside. This post deadline kept waving a flag as my mind sat stuck on the wrong side of writer’s block, relationship blocks, Jesus block, and joy blocks.

Are the what ifs looming larger than life for you today? Are you holding a wee one in your arms, desperately needing Someone to hold you?

If mothering has taught me anything so far, it is that I have lots to learn about the maternal nature of our Father God.

Have you pondered lately that God uses maternal imagery to describe His own love for you?

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isa. 66:13 NIV)

“Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you—never.” (Isa. 49:15 MSG)

The business of mothering has so much comfort-giving built into the job description: consoling, nurturing, attending, supporting, caring, fostering, assisting, cultivating, encouraging, fixing, forming, ministering, motivating, tending, noticing, knowing.

Isn’t this so much of the invisible good work we do?

Now re-read the list a little slower this time and meditate for a moment on all the ways the Trinity surrounds and harmonizes to minister these sweet graces to you, treasured child.

And take a deep, deep breath. Pause and savor the beautiful reality that you are made in His image. Your caregiving isn’t just “unto” the Lord…you are literally nourishing in your babes a relational understanding of what the Lord Most High is like.

When you quiet with love you are modeling the difference between suffocating silence and true good quiet, filled with all kinds of holy room to be and breathe at ease, together.

So Lord, as we love and comfort our children in a thousand myriad ways today, we join the Psalmist and ask, “Now let your unfailing love comfort me!”

“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 17:8 NIV)

“…I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Psalm 57:1 NIV)

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge …” (Psalm 91:4 NIV)

He is always glad to be with you. GLAD to do the loving work of comforting you, moving you through the overwhelm of pain to the peace that passes understanding.

Reach up to your Prince of Peace — lift your arms high in praise or distress — you will find His gaze is warm and adoring either way. His arms are open to you. Weep and worship, always under His wings. Let Him come close and quiet you with His love and this eternal lullaby of joy:

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)