Come Here

Come here. Ven aqui. Bohu he'na. Whether you say it in English, Spanish, or Hebrew, it's still a simple phrase. They are two little words and yet, they are most ignored and quite possibly the most difficult to obey. I cannot tell you how many times I myself have said "come here" to my children without a response, with an opposite response, and with a hopeless response. Most parents know what I mean. It's at these times that I remember the stand-up comedy of Bill Cosby and his recounting of how his beautiful wife became an ugly monster of a woman with a contorted face, repeating everything she said over and over again with increasing speed and volume to no avail, all on the account of motherhood. Yes, that's exactly how I feel sometimes. And yet, it was at this very moment that I learned something from the Lord. Here I am trying to get my children to heed my "come here" plea and getting so frustrated in the process. Don't they realize that I'm trying to help them out? Come here and put your coat on. Come here and eat your food. Come here and take a nap. Come here and take a bath. Come here and play with this instead of messing with that. Come here and pick up your toys. Come here and stay by my side so you don't get lost! Ahhh!
Yes. It was like a ton of bricks. How many times is the Lord frustrated over me, His child, when He is calling me to "come here" and I do not heed His plea? Come here and put on My armor before you start your day. ("Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11) Come here and feast on the Bread of Life. ("Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35) Come here and rest in Me so that you may be renewed. ("My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him." Psalm 62:1) Come here and pray. ("pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17) Come here and hide My Word in your heart. ("These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. Deuteronomy 6:6) Come here and witness to My people. ("...Tend My sheep." John 21:17) Come here and be by My side so you do not get lost! ("Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." 1 John 2:28)
Come here. It's a simple enough command, and yet, so hard to obey. I will have to pay closer attention to my Father's voice and heed His requests for my benefit. After all, He is only trying to help me out.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." John10:27-28

All I have to do is listen. Now everytime I am trying to encourage my children to listen to me, I will be encouraged to listen to my Lord, my Father, my Savior. What a blessed reminder!