At my house in Rwanda, I often enjoy sitting on the front porch. Every time I do, the children of my village will pass by. They do not approach me; they simply stare at me from over the hedge. In fact, as I write this blog I am sitting on the porch with an audience. Sometimes we will acknowledge each other with a wave or a “hello,” but that is the extent of our interaction. Occasionally a brave one will venture through our gate and into the front yard. I try to converse, but again they will simply stare, curious and mystified by the “Muzungu (white person)” sitting on the porch.
I want them to trust me. To know that I am safe and good. That I have love to give them, but they don’t understand. Even when I come off my porch and walk to the gate they either, run away, afraid of the unknown, or accept a high-five but stay planted, on the other side of the hedge.
How often is that our relationship with God?
We see him sitting on a porch, and we gaze from the other side of the hedge with curiosity and longing, but we don’t do anything about it. We may even acknowledge Him every once in a while, but we stay comfortably on our hedge-side. Even when he comes all the way to the gate for us, we run away from him, or we accept his gesture of love, but don’t act upon it. Even if we come out of our comfort zone and approach him on his side of the hedge, sometimes we won’t take the steps to make it all the way to the porch.
But the porch is so good. It is trustworthy, safe, and full of love.
He doesn’t want to be gazed at like a caged animal; he wants you to be right next to him on the porch. He is ready to welcome you with open arms. He doesn’t want you to look at him and wish you knew him, or wish you could be apart of what he is doing. He wants to know you. He wants you to experience Him and what he is doing BESIDE him. He is not going to make you come to the porch to be with Him, but he desperately wants you to.
Take the step. Go around your hedge, cross the front yard, and join the Lord on the porch. It’s a good and safe place to be; full of love from your beautiful, trustworthy Father.
