He Was There All Along; She Just Couldn’t See Him

He was there all along; she just couldn’t see him. 

He had moved slightly behind her.

The little girl was happily playing, oblivious to the world. The game she was playing had captured all of her attention. She had no idea what was happening around her. She was completely absorbed in her own little make believe world. 

After a few minutes of happily playing, she came back to reality. She looked to her right. She looked to her left. She quickly looked to her right again. You could see the worry and fear in her face when she realized her daddy wasn’t right where she expected him to be.

Tears gathered in her eyes. Her chin quivered. She began crying.

And then her father, who was still standing behind her, put his hand on her shoulder, scooped her up and hugged her. 

“Why are you crying?” he asked her.

“You left me!” she sobbed.

“No I didn’t,” I could hear him softly comforting her. “I was standing right here.”

“But…I couldn’t see you!” she said with a hint of anger and embarrassment in her little voice.

“Hon, just because you don’t see me, doesn’t mean I’m not there.”

It was such a sad, sweet little scene I witnessed while I was waiting for my Genius Bar appointment at the Apple Store. 

And yet… it spoke volumes to me.

I often put God in a box. I expect Him to be right where I left Him…or where I want Him to be. Regardless of my expectations, He’s behind me all the way and always there to scoop me up and remind me that I’m His and that He’s got my best interests at heart. He’s never far from from me. He’s never far from you. He’s right there, even when we look around and can’t see him, He is seeing us. 

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, for my Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:27-30)