Tuesday, June 29, 2010

On Daddy's Shoulders

One of my kids' favorite places to be is up on Pat's shoulders. When chubby, little legs tire of walking, up they go! When big, round, peering eyes cannot see what's up ahead, Daddy hoists them up.

There comes a point, though, in each of our children's lives, when they can no longer ride on Daddy's shoulders. It usually happens somewhere in the fifth year of life, when that 50 lb mark is attained on the scale. At that time, it becomes awkward and cumbersome to get the child up there and keep him or her safely perched.

I thought of this as I listened to the lyrics of a song by Francesca Battistelli, "Free To Be Me." She sings:

‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me.


I have heard this song, sang along with it hundreds of times. Yet never caught on to that phrase, "on Your shoulders I can see." But the other day, it just struck me and stuck with me, and I've been mulling it over ever since.

All too often I find myself navigating through life as a blind woman. I hold my hands out in front of me and ask, This way, Lord? Bump. This way? Crash. Which way do I go? Where do I turn? What can I do for You? Where am I? Who am I??? I want to do it right, but on my own and in my own strength, I am nothing more than a bumbling mess still trying to "find myself."

If I would just stop flailing around in the dark for a moment and ask Him, Daddy, will you put me up on Your shoulders? I would see. I would see that He has good plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11); I would see that He has purpose for me (Psalm 138:8); I would see the person that He created me to be (Jeremiah 1:5); I would be free to be that person.

What about you? Have you found yourself bumping into things, trying to figure out who you are and why you are here?

If so, try taking one of the three Scriptures listed above and meditating on it. Ask God what He wants to say to you through that verse.

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