Baby Steps

It has been many, many years, but each time the thoughts come, they bring a smile to the Swallow's face.

She remembers the days when her first young one took his first steps.  Not the day of his first actual step, but the days since.  Before he could walk well, he was trying to run.  And where did that get him?  Falls were plenty, while bruises and bumps were his trophies.  Yet the falls did not quench his thirst in taking more steps.  A few tears, a few hugs and kisses, and then he would be off again...

More than a decade later, he is still the same.  Ready at the word 'go'.  Well, sometimes even before the word 'go' has been given, he has already gone, only to be gently pulled back...but that is another story.

One of his favourite games during those early days of mobility was this - his papa (sometimes this honour may be bestowed on his mama too) would stretch out his arms, then count one-two----...anticipation would fill the young one's eyes as he waited for his papa's 'three'.  When it came, the young one would hurry as fast as he could into his papa's outstretched arms, trusting fully that his papa would give him a big hug.  Most of the time, his papa would be the one who had to surrender first to the always-energetic young one.  The young one would have been happy to just go on and on and on...

How delightful it was to see the bond between this father and his young one.  From the time the Swallow had discovered she was pregnant, her mate had been just as trilled as she was, and just as apprehensive of what they would be in for.

Having watched this young one, and the other young one that had followed several years later, grow and take their baby steps, the Swallow gets a little perspective of her own relationship with her Heavenly Father.

Just as the young one seeks his papa's hugs in his little journeys, she seeks her Heavenly Father's loving embrace in her life journey, and it is the thought of her Heavenly Father's waiting arms that moves her to press on in spite of falls, setbacks and discouragement.

Just as the young one looks to his papa for encouragement at each failure, she looks to her Heavenly Father - to pick her up, brush off the dust and tears, and encourage her to try again.

Just as the young one waits in anticipation of his papa's 'Well done' for each success, the Swallow is waiting in anticipation of her Heavenly Father's 'Well done', and some day, when her life's journey is done, and all she can lay before Him are her little trophies of "sins overcomed with His Spirit's help" or "loving others because she was first loved by Him", she is confident that there will be a 'Well done' waiting for her ears because her trust was in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of Calvary.

Yet her Heavenly Father is also more than the young one's papa. Even with his best intentions, the young one's papa is finite, and is bound by time, structures and limits beyond his control.  After a long and hard day's work, the young one's papa (or mama) is in need of encouragement too.  He will need extraordinary love to show love to his young one(s) and mate.  He will need extraordinary strength to continue serving others selflessly.  He will need to draw all these extraordinary-ness from his (or her) Heavenly Father.

For the Heavenly Father is infinite.  "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." (Psalm 90 : 2, NKJV).

For the Heavenly Father is not bound by time.  He is "the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End." (Revelations 1 : 8, NKJV).

For the Heavenly Father is not bound by structures and limits.  "Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139 : 7 - 12, NKJV).

"My Heavenly Father, how patiently You wait for me each morning.  How lovingly You comfort my soul.  How amazingly You continue to love me in spite of who I am.  Lead me on each day, and as I follow, may my steps be like baby steps - full of trust and confidence in You, my Heavenly Father."