Transatlantic phone calls used to cost about £1/minute, so
they were rare. We would call California at birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving
... and not many other times. I often missed the sound of loved-ones’ voices
and longed to hear them.
I remember a few times when family life was full here,
during a conversation with ‘home’ my Dad would say, ‘You’re tired, aren’t you?
I can hear it.’ I never thought I sounded any different, but to a Father whose
daughter’s voice he knew well, he heard the sag in my voice. And he no doubt
felt so far away, unable to give me a bear hug of encouragement.
I’ve just skyped my Mom, and I heard the sag in her voice.
Usually she is upbeat and perky, embracing her more restricted life at 92 and
making the best of it. Today I could hear a flatness and I felt bad for her
difficulty in downshifting into this season. And I felt so far away, unable to
give her a bear hug of encouragement.
Our Father in heaven loves us, and can hear the sag in our
voices when life is heavy or challenging. He is not constrained by geographic
distance, though, and if I draw in close to him, I can sense his nearness and ‘feel’
his hug – through his Words, through praise music, through the presence of
others.
In the shadow of his wings is my security. In the embrace of
his love is my life. And in faith I trust that he is able to give Mom that bear
hug of encouragement today, lift her spirits and strengthen her core. So
grateful to Jesus.
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