The Love of God

I am a child. Perhaps three or four years old. I am frightened. I'm looking for comfort. There is a light down the hall. I can see it under the door. Just a crack of light, but it looks warm and inviting compared to the darkness around me. I can't reach the handle, as a matter of fact the door goes so high that I can't see the top of it. But I push on the door and it noiselessly gives way to my touch.

Timidly, I peek around the door. The light is so bright, but somehow soft and welcoming too. The room beyond is huge. HUGE. I can't see the other side of it, or any of the other walls for that matter. Or the ceiling. Yet, I know that I am not outside. As my wondering gaze wanders around the room I discover that the light seems to come from the center of it. In the center is a man sitting on a chair. He looks like a nice man. Everything seems to center around him. I don't understand it. There are people with wings--angels?--going to and from him all the time and around him there are these creatures who keep saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." And every time they say that all these men who are sitting around the man in the center hop off their chairs and bow down to the ground and say, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." I guess the man in the middle is God?

There is a path from the door to his throne. As I continue to take in all that is around me, I begin to meander up the path. Somehow, I know that I want to go to him. I know that he will comfort me. He looks strong and, well, a little frightening. There is something about him that makes me cautious and yet I see that his eyes are so kind and I can't help but move towards him.

I move forward, this little child, in awe and wonder of my surroundings, unaware of the stir I am causing. At first, no one noticed the child opening the door and peaking in. Well, no one except him. He couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from this innocent child who was exploring his throne room. As he watched a tiny smile played across his face. Some of the fierceness left it and the underlying gentleness and kindness became more visible. An angel came with a message from Gabriel, his eyes never left the little child as he answered. The angel went away bemused and wondering why God didn't have that child removed from the Throne Room. After all, this was an important place and a child had no business here!

Others around the room were beginning to notice the child. A guard moved forward to bar the path, but God signed him away. The child meandered closer, eyes wide, mouth agape; the original fright was forgotten, in its place was wonder and awe at this remarkable place and the strange creatures that were about. A hush had fallen over the room as more and more noticed the child and turned to God to see his response. Shocked faces saw that he was enjoying! this spectacle! Whispers ran around heaven, everyone was wondering who this child was that God could not take his eyes off of.

Indeed, as God watched his face became gentler and softer. He was leaning forward on his throne a bit now. The child was close and he was eagerly awaiting it. There was expectation and excitement on his face. Joy. And love. So much love. The inhabitants of heaven had never seen anything like it. God's face was utterly shining with love for this little child who was disrupting the rhythm and harmony of heaven. Everyone did their best to continue on with their duties watching God and the child out of the corner of their eyes to see what would happen.

Suddenly the child stumbled, but before anyone could react God was off his throne and catching the child in his arms. A collective gasp was heard. No one had ever seen God on his knees before! And here this troublesome child had completely disrupted the order and dignity of Heaven. Surely God was going to send it away. But look! Small arms wrap around his neck. A little head is buried in his shoulder and he gets up and returns to his throne with the child in his arms. As though it was nothing unusual. Except that he can't drag his eyes away from that little person clinging so desperately to him. A small, frightened face peeks up at him. He smiles, leans down and kisses that forehead oh-so-tenderly. He wipes away the tear that was forming in the little eye. A smile glimmers on the child's face and little hands tighten around God's neck, pulling him closer. A little mouth is put near his ear and a secret is exchanged. God chuckles and his arms tighten around this little one. Love radiates out of him. He is beaming and the sound of joy is heard throughout heaven. The angels are in awe. The creatures cover their eyes in awe of the love on God's face and the elders worship as they watch their master rejoice with a joy like they have never seen before. Heaven resumes its rhythm as a little child snuggles in God's lap, telling him secrets, sharing joys and sorrows and eventually falling asleep in the safest place in the world. And God. Almighty. Jehovah. I AM. God buries his face in a child's hair. And he is happy.