This is another piece I wrote, this time back in '06. We were supposed to put ourselves into a story during a church leaders retreat, and this is what poured out into my journal. I had the most *real* sense of Christ twirling me in the air...
Matthew 10:13-17People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.(NIV)
I smell the fragrance of the flowers as I skip through the meadow. I know there is need to hurry, but I stop anyway and make flower jewelry. I find the most beautiful purple flowers which I weave carefully into a necklace.
My mother comes back and scolds me. We can’t miss this, you shouldn’t be wasting time. I can feel a tear trying to make its way to my eye, but I will it back knowing that if my mother sees it there will be more scolding.
We continue walking and I clutch my precious necklace to my chest, inhaling the sweetest of perfumes. This is my new treasure.
When we reach the place I stand in awe looking at all the people. In the middle of the crowd is a man, surrounded by some of the other children from my village. He looks towards me and I can feel the welcoming kindness in his eyes.Suddenly I’m running, not caring anymore if my mother minds. The grass tickles my bare feet as I dance around him, laughing and squealing with delight along with the other children. I can’t remember when I’ve felt so much joy!
Somewhere in the distance of my mind I hear some men who seem irritated at all of us. I’m not really hearing them or paying attention to what they are saying until the kind man says “Stop! Let the children come to me.”
He looks at me tenderly as I gaze back at him. He brushes my hair back from my face and strokes my cheek as he says “I tell you that anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it.”
I have no idea what he is talking about, but I can feel the power and love from this kindest of strangers. His eyes twinkle as he looks at me and then he picks me up in his arms and twirls me in the air until I feel as if I am soaring with the eagles. I feel my hair lift and fly in the air as well and I giggle. When he puts me down he again touches my cheek and smiles.
I hardly know what I am doing until I have already lifted my treasure, my beautiful necklace, from around my own neck. It will never fit him, but I place it on his head just like a crown. For just a moment I see something else flash in his eyes—sadness?—but then he hugs me close again and kisses my forehead. I feel something inside that I have never felt before and somehow I know that I will never be the same again.
It has been many years since that day but I often think about Jesus and all the things that happened after that day. Sometimes I think of the next crown he wore and I cry. But I never pass a meadow without stopping and smiling as I remember the most wonderful of days. And when I find some beautiful purple flowers I make another necklace, just because.
1 comment:
That's very beautiful. ^_^
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