Beau

Psalm 22:19, "But You, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me."

Utter dependence.  It can be a scary place.  But, it can be oh so beautiful.  Earlier in the psalm, David declares, "Yet You brought me out of the womb; You made me trust in You even at my mother's breast.  From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God."  From first creation, God's greatest desire was for our dependence to be for Him.  That we all be His and in relationship with Him.  He foreknew us before we were even born and as we enter the world we are completely dependent...often at our mother's breast.  Definitely one of my greatest joys of motherhood.  Their needs were so simple then and the time when it is just you and your baby is exquisite.  They whimpered in the night, and you go quickly to meet their need.  

David met God there.  He knew he was God's from the beginning.  Have you realized that yet?  He knew His heavenly Father would be there to meet his need...not what it looked like (that's our flesh), but that He would show up and answer his prayer...maybe prolonging life....maybe in the assurance of resurrection because although we are His at birth, He has given us the free will to choose Him and when we do eternal life is always ours.  

I cannot state it enough or too much.  The worst times in my life, when I had nothing to depend on but God were the most beautiful, intimate moments of my life.  Going through them is our hell on earth, depending on Him our heaven.  For this to be my daily cry...be not far off.  He never is, it's me that moves away.  To wake up each morning and remember...be not far off...I need YOU to make it through this day.

We had to put our dog, Beau, down this week.  I say our because I loved him, too.  But, he was really John's dog.  They had an indescribable bond.  And although we have other dogs, there was this "thing" with them.  Toward the end, Beau could not walk.  John carried him.  He carried him to pee, he carried him to poop, cleaned him off...Beau would "peep" (his little whimper) and John was up...tending to the need of his love that was dependent on him.  Never without hesitation, never with complaint.  Out of this crazy unconditional love.

I don't know where or if this will reach you.  Maybe you've felt the love of your mother at her breast or of your own child.  Maybe the unconditional love of your furry family member whose one desire is you.  If you hear nothing else, please hear this...none of this, NONE OF IT compares to the love of God.  His complete, unconditional love that waits for your dependence on Him.  "..You, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me."