arms wide open

Come in. The Fathers arms are open wide. When I’m tired, like I have been for too long, the Fathers arms are open wide saying come, rest in the shadow of my wings. When I am running hard after thee, your arms are open wide saying, we have just begun or journey together. When shame and guilt and the weight of my sin weigh down on me til I am on the ground, you say come, my arms are open wide, I will gather you from the low place and draw you up to the highest place, with me. When I fail your arms are open wide saying my strength is made perfect in weakness. When I am happy your arms are open wide saying I want to rejoice with you. When I have idols and I don’t know how to let go, your arms are wide-open saying, nothing is to great for me, nothing compares to my glory. The more you know it the more you will be able to count as loss all that used to capture your heart and hold it captive. I have ransomed you from the pit. I say to you come, all ye who are weary and heavy laden I will give you life. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Come my sons and my daughters, come to your Fathers house, once we were enemies as far as we could be from each other, once you hid from me, but now you run to me. Now Christ has stood in your place to bear the deep, terrible weight of your own sin and the wrath of God which was turned on you and heading toward you.

I see the grave error of my ways lord. I have attempted to be perfect instead of pointing to the perfect one. My life is a signpost to my greatness as your follower when it should be directed to you, to the triune God.

I can be whole and I can be healed. Because you know how to heal me. You say, go ahead dive into your mess that you have been told to run away from and I will meet you there and I will walk with you through it and all that is dark will be brought into light and all that is scary I will take you through.