Holding God's Hand

I saw a disheartening sight the other day.  A grown man was holding hands with a little girl, walking her to school.  Now what's wrong with that, you might ask?  What should have been an endearing and sweet scene was reversed by the man's other hand holding a phone.  As they walked in the bright sunshine under shady gum trees, he was transfixed on his screen while the little girl in a school uniform stared blankly and silently ahead.  The sad image has remained with me.

All manner of thoughts went through my head.  I wondered if the little girl saw the phone as an intruder on a friendly chat she could have with her dad.  Though quite young, I also wondered if the child was resigned to the phone's presence in the hand of her guardian and escort.  Maybe she saw it as a grown-up thing and was looking forward to having a phone too.  "Talk to your little one!" I thought to myself.  They were holding hands but distant, and that fleeting vision has weighed heavy ever since.

I then began to think about my own life and how persistent the impulse can be to immerse yourself in a digital wonderland of information, amusement, and areas of personal interest instead of interacting with real, present people.  Am I present when I walk with my wife, sons, and friends?  Do my devices have a grip on my life which rob me of opportunities to love others?  And even more important, are screens and devices a wedge between me and God?  It would be easy to reverse the picture as an illustration of us and God:  people are like the little girl focused on a screen whilst our Father holds our hand and accompanies us wherever we go.  He does not force Himself on us, and He waits most patiently.  Are we pleased to hold His hand for security and say "Bye!" with a quick smile as we head off on our day, or are we willing to leave the phone alone and see what He wants to talk about?

The wonderful thing is even when we rush off into life, when we are ready to seek the LORD He will be right near because He has been seeking us.  This shouldn't affect us by taking advantage of His love, grace, and patience, but we should value Him above all others.  I love the old hymn which paints the picture of God who walks and talks with me and tells me I am His own.  This is the intimacy God desires to cultivate with us, and in response we ought to rejoice in such a privilege.  May our eyes be fixed on Him and our hearts filled with awe and reverence for Him.  That God would hold our hand and draw us near to Himself!  What joy and rest we have in Him!