My 10 month old learned how to walk a couple of weeks ago. In the days leading up to her really taking off, I could not get over the sweetness of just holding my little girl's hand, walking with her all around the house. It made my heart well up with so much joy as her Momma to lead her, help her, watch her learn and explore and have fun.
Then one of those days, with a fresh thrill of motherhood in my mind and heart, I read this passage in Hosea.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him...
I myself taught Israel how to walk,
leading him along by the hand...
I led Israel along
with my ropes of kindness and love.
I lifted the yoke from his neck,
and I myself stooped to feed him."
Hosea 11:3-4
What a sweet passage. God as father (or mother) loving a dear child, stooping down to feed and nurture, to hold his hand and gently, slowly lead and teach.
Having just experienced how delightful it is as a parent to teach a child how to walk and how amazing it feels to lead your little love along by the hand, it really struck me that God describes the way He relates to us like this.
And it actually sent a huge wave of freedom over me. Sometimes the language we use in the Christian life is all the waging of war and racing and fighting (and, as that's Biblical imagery also, there's obviously a place for that, too).
But that day, and maybe this season, I think God wanted me to realize that He just wants to hold my hand. To lead me along with kindness and love. To teach me how to walk this path that He's called me to travel.
Instead of fighting some glorious battle or sprinting a race, maybe He just wants me to put my hand in His and learn to walk. Maybe little baby steps of faith and following are enough.
Maybe baby steps and waging war are actually two images of the same life.
In those moments, I heard His voice not as a general calling out orders or a coach yelling from the sidelines to submissive but independent and highly trained specimens, but as a delighted father (or mother) encouraging me to "come this way!", or "let's try again!", or sometimes "watch out, darlin' girl!"
And it's freeing to be the darlin' girl of a doting Father.
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