This past week we held open-air crusades in the town of Ojamii. Most of
the attendees were children, about 150. My favorite was a little girl
who was about 3 years old. The African worship music would start playing
and she would dance, with a very serious face. The first day she didn’t
crack a smile but she did hold my hand, so we could dance kind of
together. The second day, she was holding a dirty teddy bear, and
wearing a dirty little dress. I was sitting down in a chair and I called
her over. She came with her dirty little bear and sat on my lap. She
actually smiled when I pretended to pinch her cheeks. She had the most
adorable smile to match her adorable little face. The third day, she
wouldn’t smile, but she let me pick her up, and she let me hold her
while I danced. My heart was melting : ) I felt something warm and
wondered if she was peeing on me, but thought I was just paranoid. After
about 3 songs, I was worn out and so was she. I put her down and
yep….she had peed. I was so enamored by her….I didn’t even care!!
Hahaha! She raised her arms for me to pick her up and how could I
resist…I picked her up without hesitation. Her beauty is embedded in
my heart, and I am kind of sad the crusades are over.
This made
me think….this is how our Father in Heaven looks at us. I didn’t even
catch her name, but He knows ours even before we are born. We are dirty,
we wear filthy rags, we hold dirty stuffed animals, and all He sees is
beauty. All He sees is His precious baby girl/boy. All He feels, is His
heart melting within Him, especially when we lift our hands to Him and
go to Him. We sin and defile His clothes, and He doesn’t care! He picks
us up again and again, because He can’t say “no” when we look into His
eyes. We are embedded in His heart.
