He saw her across the dimly lit restaurant. He hadn’t seen her in over a year. Last year, they shared a first grade classroom. Today, they shared only vague remembrances of one another. He’s stayed put. She’s moved on to another school.
After brief words of conversation with her family, we made our way back to the table. My eight year old son gave his best efforts at coloring the sombrero on his children’s menu and then hand delivered his gift to his friend. Moments later, she responded by doing the same. Back and forth, waves and glances, until the hour was complete, and we said our good-byes.
On the way out to our car, my son shared his thoughts with me.
“Mom, you know I kind of like that girl.”
“Son, you haven’t seen that girl in over a year, and you didn’t even remember her name. I think you’re confused.”
“No, mom, I really do like that girl.”
“How can that be, son? You’ve never even talked about her before.”
“Mom, I know when I like somebody. I’ve had love before.”
“Really? When?”
“In K4.”
And with that proclamation, the conversation ended and the contemplation began.
I’ve had love before … in K4.
What my son was saying was that this “inkling” that he felt … this notion of emotion … wasn’t the usual everyday kind of love that he carried for his friends. This was a different kind of love. A love that tugs deeper, breathes bolder, and speaks its insistence over top of the others. An unfolding type of love that, when “presented” to a heart, calls for its notice.
Jadon noticed, and tonight he has me wondering if I do the same—
Notice love when love comes knocking.
The disciples didn’t notice Love’s knocking … not at first. The confusion resulting from competing stories about his death and their hopes deferred in keeping with that death, kept their hearts at a distance; the sea was deep enough to hold their uncertainty and wide enough to harbor Love’s recognition at bay.
But then Love called, offering an invitation of familiarity—a common conversation that collided with past remembrances. Something about catching fish and casting nets and the “right” side of a boat. And with that summons and subsequent obedience, Love struck a chord deep within their hearts, calling forth a recognizable “inkling” that beckoned them shoreward to share in a meal and to bask in a few moments of tender reunion.
The gathering would be brief, but it would be more than enough time to amply seed them with the truth of Love’s embrace—a three-fold asking, a three-fold response, and a three-fold commissioning to go and to feed the Father’ sheep out of the overflow of Love’s consumption. That was the heart of the matter on a day set aside for God’s presenting Love.
When the disciples walked away from the shore’s table, they knew they had tasted Love. Why? Because like my son, they’d known Love before. They shared a classroom with him in an earlier season. He had been their teacher; they had been his willing pupils, and in the end, the kingdom of God was best served by the sacred collision of their hearts with his.
Thus, a question a two for your heart this night.
Do you notice Love when Love comes knocking? When was the last time that Love stopped your heart in its tracks and forced your perception? If Love were sitting across from you in a dimly lit restaurant, would you feel his pull and look up from your table to search out Love’s glance? Would you color Love a picture? Would you then deliver it in hopes of receiving Love back?
Or has your love for Love grown cold, distant and harboring within the waters of an uncertain tomorrow? Have you given up on Love’s embrace? Have you forgotten the sound of Love’s beckoning call? Has life hammered its cruelty so loudly that you are deafened and blinded by the truth of Love’s approach?
It’s easy to miss Love, especially when our hearts are prone to a constant wandering. If we choose the world’s classroom over God’s classroom, then we choose our handicap. Love is always presenting himself … always passing our way … always sending his notes of affection to our tables. But if we haven’t logged in some hours under his tutelage, rarely will he garner our notice. Instead, we offer him our neglect, leaving the table with but a whisper of a vague recognition that was always meant to last longer.
We could leave better, friends. God intends for us to leave with a heart full of Love’s recollection. With a pulse that shouts,
“I’ve been with Love today because I’ve known Love before.”
That is the heart of the matter for our everyday … noticing Love when Love comes knocking because Love has been our companion all along.
My prayer for your life and mine is for a blatant and sacred intersection between Love’s heart and ours. I pray for eyes to see him when he walks in a room. I pray for hearts to receive him when he knocks at the door. I pray for ears to hear him when he calls from the shore. And I pray for the “yes” to answer him when he asks for our more.
May the holy and gracious presenting Love of a Father’s heart be your portion as you walk this week. It is his joy to give you the abiding truth and fellowship of heaven’s native Son. As always,
Copyright © May 2009 – Elaine Olsen
PS: If you want to spend some more time in God’s classroom via a long ago breakfast on the shores of Galilee, then hop over to John 21 and let the truth of that moment be the truth of your moment with Jesus today. The winner of Kennisha Hill’s “Simply Wisdom” is Joye at The Joyeful Journey. Congrats, Joye. Please send me your snail mail via my email, and I will send you Kennisha’s book. Shalom.
Now that's powerfully poignant. And again the familiar lump began to form almost at once. I've come to expect it at your e-home … my heart rushes to get there, while my soul reminds me to grab the Kleenex.
How obscured do we adults make love, if not life. Thank God, and praise Him for the ordained wisdom of little ones, even little ones smitten with love.
Blessings & hugs,
Kathleen
Elaine – I love this! I’ve had a similar converstaion with my 8 year old, except she was 6 and picking out a Valentine for a boy in her class. She told me “we’re in love”! I almost fell off my seat!
Great weaving of words to link the temporal with the eternal.
Thank you
Elaine,What a beautiful post.You are such a blessing to me!Please keep me in your prayers.I go back to the doctor Wed.Love in Christ Faye
Now you have echoed back what Love was whispering to me this morning. I was shaking then – I am on my knees now!
I, too, have had love before. Love’s grace has loved me much. I have not done the same. I have hoarded it as if it was mine to keep. It’s beat cemented behind walls of stone.
The chisel was placed by Love’s own hand. Your words were another strike to stone. My heart is chipping free from the stone that has entombed it’s beat.
May this exhumation reveal a heart that loves as I have been loved. May I see the sacred intersects in the eyes of the husband, the friend, the stranger, the enemy and may I embrace as Love has loved me.
Thank you for being a workman ready to strike with the words you have been given!
Shalom,
Denise
Oh how I wish our skin, as adults, hadn’t been toughened and thickened through years and layers of hurt and self-protection. Oh how I wish we would keep it pliable, like the ready skin of your son’s…willing – seeking – the love that’s always waiting.
Loved this. Love you.
Melinda
Oh, to have the eyes and heart of a child! I loved this part of your post:
“I pray for eyes to see him when he walks in a room. I pray for hearts to receive him when he knocks at the door. I pray for ears to hear him when he calls from the shore. And I pray for the “yes” to answer him when he asks for our more.”Amen, Elaine!
Blessings to you, sweet friend…
Love,
Beth
Beautiful post, Elaine. I love the lessons we learn from our children!
It is amazing to me how God uses other people to show us what Love is. He uses US to reflect what He is. Mind boggling! I am so so thankful for those who have reflected Him well in my life.
I “noticed love” today at church. We attend a little country church with 50-75 in attendance every Sunday. Many are older couples.
Today, our pastor talked about how Jesus considered his disciples friends, and he challenged us to think about how we view our friends. He asked us: “Do we love someone so much that we would lay down our lives for them?”
I was sitting in the very back row today, and watched three older couples in the three rows immediately ahead of me respond to the pastor’s question. One by one, they each looked at their soul-mate with knowing glances — to say, “Yes, love, I would lay down my life for you.”
It was the coolest thing to see.
Great blog post, sister. Love stopping by here for refreshment.
What a beautiful post, Elaine.
How was your weekend? 🙂
Once again, a portion of your post echoes the desire of my heart. Tonight it is this:
“My prayer for your life and mine is for a blatant and sacred intersection between Love’s heart and ours. I pray for eyes to see him when he walks in a room. I pray for hearts to receive him when he knocks at the door. I pray for ears to hear him when he calls from the shore. And I pray for the “yes” to answer him when he asks for our more.”
I pray that my response to Him will be even more passionate, more grateful, more deeply felt…
Absolutely beautiful.
Falling in Love with Jesus is like nothing else in this world. When I was saved at 15, I fell in love with Him, but then because I did not fan the flame of that love in my late 20’s, it grew cold. Then in my mid 30’s the Holy Spirit called and I answered and came running back. Since then I have loved Him with a love that is less than perfect, but it is as complete as I can offer as I wear this thin veil of flesh.
Oh, but one day, one day, dear Elaine, we will stand face to face with our Lord and we will love Him COMPLETELY!!
Leah
Elaine,
This post puts to my mind an earlier post I read & commented on with another bloggy friend. Her name is Lynn. I just went there to get mr. linky to post here and noticed that my comment is not showing up yet.
No matter. I love her post in relation to yours here.
She mentions in part of her post:
"Do we lean upon our Best Friend’s breast as John the beloved did, just to be near Him, or sit at His feet as Mary did, just to serve Him in worship by pouring out our thanks and our tears as fragrant oil upon His body?"
http://tinyurl.com/p6gxan
I love that visual. I get the same mental response to your post as I did to hers.
It brings me to tears to feel myself against HIS breast and to hear HIS heartbeat as HE envelopes me with HIS warm arms to reassure me of HIS love for me. I would challenge your readers to seek this in God. HE's the Almighty.
I loved your post. Such beautiful thoughts on love. I “noticed love” last night at Tom’s Mom’s 89th birthday dinner…a memory I won’t soon forget.
A certain young man I know and love told me a similar story about a little girl in his kindergarten class back in 1994. In just about 5 months, that same little girl will become his lovely bride. You just never know… ; )
Great post, Elaine! My heart really connected with yours thoughts.
The story with your son is just precious! I can just picture the back and forth exchanges. Sometimes it does take our children to have us pause and look at the familiar with fresh, innocent eyes.
As I read your post, it stuck me how far God has brought me. I thank Him, that He’s started to thaw my heart. He has initiated new growth where none had been for a long time, if ever. I have a long way to go, but I am so thankful I see Love in many places and in many people.
Thinking about you and praying for you today.
Blessings,
Kelli
“We offer him our neglect, leaving the table with but a whisper of a vague recognition that was always meant to last longer.”
Love has been waiting so long for me…I’m so sorry Lord.
My tear-filled eyes, are looking into my Father’s right now…how we need some reaquainting….
How sweetly He still says my name.
Hey Mrs. Elaine:) I enjoyed reading your post. I am glad that your workout video reminds you of me, and that you pray for me. I need it! Don’t we all???! He is Good:) I think I will def take your advice and read bunches of scripture. I read John 14-17 this morning again-I’ve been reading and rereading it. I’ll check out John 21 too. “Talk” to you soon:)
Blessed day to you,
katiegfromtennessee
This was a wonderful post. It made me really think. Have a beautiful day.
What a sweet message of recognizing love. I pray that same prayer for myself today.
Don’t let me miss it, Lord.
Thanks Ms. Elaine!
Elaine:
As always your insight is profound. I loved this post! So special!
Also congrats to Joye for winning the book!
Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS – The One I Worship]
Simply beautiful!
Picture taking tomorrow!!
Love you!
Susan
I love this! I am always learning a God-lesson from my children.
Knowing love is an unending journey that we get to experience with our Wonderful Lord!
This is wonderful. We (no, I!!) so often miss the Love that is right there. Thank you for this reminder, dear Elaine!
…whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him…
Praying that all would recognize Him!
wifeforthejourney:
This is great! I knew I could see your wheels turing after witnessing this exchange between our son and his friend at dinner. This is a beautiful and inspired modern-day-parable, for all of us who have drifted in and (occasionally) out of intimate relationship with Christ.
May the Spirit of God continue to tug at our hearts, always reminding us of the Love we have known, and that He loves us still.
You are the best!
~ Billy
This was the perfect analogy! You did a wonderful job sharing this message like this! It makes me stop and wonder and ask that question too:)
Please know that the Lord used your words in my heart this morning (as He so often does). Thank you for this.
Beautiful post Elaine. It is my heartbeat to see Love in all the little ways He shows up throughout the day. I miss many, but hopefully not as many as if I weren’t looking.
Elaine, what a beautifully written, powerful word! I have to ask myself how much love I have missed – by being too full of other things, my eyes gazing at other “loves.” Father, help me keep my vision fixed on you.
Blessings to you today and always.
With Christ’s Love,
Andrea
I love the embraces from my children, and constant expressions of effortless love. Your words are strong ones, and love is not so complicated. Thanks for sharing your prayerful insights with me today.
Well, Elaine, out of the mouths of babes … This is precious. And it brought tears to my eyes. I have so many thoughts in my head, but I can’t see to type them out. 🙂
Yes, yes! AMAZING.
You know my baby brother had one of those love moments in Kindergarten. He gave that girl a ring made from the wrapper of a life saver pack. Her parents moved away and they did not meet again until they were in there early twenties. They now are married have three boys and waiting on their 4th. 🙂
I am trying daily to look for the signs of His love. My heart is very tender toward this lover of my soul. I am thankful tat He is keeping me awake even it is because of a few bumps in the road. 🙂
He is faithful! Forever!