To Linger Longer: Treasuring Person Over Productivity
His answer caught me a bit by surprise. "I would love it if you just hugged me...longer."
In a season of difficult decisions and busy schedules, I had asked my husband, "What can I DO to help you?" I wanted to make phone calls, create to-do lists...take things off his plate. I longed to right the wrongs and fix things. Well aware of all that had to be done in the day to day, I rarely paused for long displays of affection; I was too efficient for hugs.
I had somehow grown self-righteous in my refusal to rest and to enjoy leisure...the luxury of lingering.
But for my husband, the greatest way I could be of help to him was to simply acknowledge, tenderly, that he was worth my time, and worth pausing for. He wanted to know that I still needed his embrace and that he could count on mine. He was longing for the relationship while I was looking for results. What I counted as superfluous in the midst of a busy day, he considered essential for lasting motivation.
My husband...he chooses the person over productivity. Sometimes I'm so caught up with serving him that I miss out on enjoying him. And, isn't that how it is with our relationship with the Lord?
God extends his welcome for us to linger...to listen...to choose the good portion:
“But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.””
What pleases our the Lord the most is when we desire Him...not just what we can do for him. We look around our needy world and cry out, "How can I be Your hands and feet? How can I help?" Perhaps He answers us by simply reminding us to first savor, first draw near, first enjoy Him, first linger...
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
His arms are open wide today...how will you linger a little longer with the Lord?
Because of grace,
Ruth Simons, gracelaced.com
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