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:
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...
His arms are open wide today...how will you linger a little longer with the Lord?
Because of grace,
Ruth Simons, gracelaced.com
Share this post: