Imagine a dad standing in his living room. His little boy is crawling on the other side of the room. He is just learning how to walk. He tries to push himself up to his feet. He finally makes it.

So, there he is standing across the room from his dad. The little boy rocks and forth and until he can take his first step. His dad is so excited, he sits down on the floor so his little boy would know where to walk to...

Now, the boy takes another step. And another. And another. Each step more wobbly than before. The dad just so excited that he gets to see his boy take another step. 

The boy goes to take another step, but he starts shaking more and more. He picks his foot up, but his other leg gives out on him. He falls flat on the floor. Just when he is about to start crying, he looks up and sees his dad. He is just sitting there: still smiling with his arms stretched wide. 

WOW!!!

Can't you see that that is how our heavenly father treats us? He is just excited we're taking steps. He was there during the crawl. He was there during the stand. He was there for each step. When we fall, he doesn't scold us or tell us not to fall. He is just there saying, "it's ok. Get back up. You can do it!"

He has this huge smile on his face. His arms are always open wide. 

When we are picking ourselves up, HE IS CHEERING US ON. When we are walking, HE IS CHEERING US ON. When we aren't sure if our next step is going to work, HE IS CHEERING US ON.

It doesn't matter where we are at in our walk. Whether we have been standing still for awhile just trying to figure out what to do next... whether we are confident in our next step... whether we have wobbly legs and don't think our next step will work... or whether we fall... Our father never leaves the room.

Sometimes he rushes over to help us up. Sometimes he lets us try to pick ourselves up and try to take the next step on our way. He is just glad that we are trying to walk towards him-- that we are trying at all. 

HE LOVES US WOBBLY LEGS AND ALL!

- David