Preparing for a God encounter

Fair warning: I'm about to blab about my kid again for a minute.

My son, Cooper is now just over 2 1/2 years old. Ever since he could waddle from one room to the next, he has loved to run from one room to the next and have me chase him down and tickle him. Often, I would grab him and plop him down on our big cushy ottoman (if it was clear of plastic trains and cars and other toys) and commence with the tickling...hearing him belly laugh and squeal for what seems like an hour sometimes.

These times are some of the most precious to me. It's just me and Cooper enjoying each other's company. His eyes stay locked on mine the whole time with the biggest smile you could imagine.

Here's the really cool thing: Every so often I'll notice Cooper begin to clear off the ottoman. He very intentionally begins to take each train, car, or other toy and put them in his toybox or somewhere else out of the way. I can see from the back of his head that he's already smiling. And I know what he's doing. But he thinks he's going to surprise me. Sometimes it may even take him 5 or 6 full minutes to get everything off of the ottoman. Then, with great anticipation, Cooper turns around to me with his hands in the air doing "spirit fingers" and starts saying "diggi diggle diggi diggi" in a gruff 'Cookie Monster' type voice. That's his "daddy voice". And I know exactly what he's saying: "Dad...come tickle me".

And If I act like I don't hear him...he'll get closer to me and "diggi diggi" even louder. And as soon as I look him in the eye and act like I'm going to move towards him...he shrieks with laughter and plops himself on the ottoman; just knowing that at any moment I will tickle him.

All I can say is...it's one of the biggest heart warming blessings I experience as a father. It's not just because he likes to be tickled. It's the preparation, intentionality, passion, and anticipation that I see Cooper display that blesses me.

So I pictured myself and God my Father. I thought, "Do I prepare myself for an encounter with God like this?" ..."Am I genuinely excited about the songs I'm about to sing when I'm on my way to worship with the body of Christ?"..."Do I fully expect God to make contact with me"... "Am I that determined for God to hear me and respond?"

What clutter needs to be removed for you to have your God encounter?

When's the last time you eagerly sought God's pleasure...His smile?

Cooper puts every bit of himself into our times together. Are we putting every bit of ourselves into God's hands?

This has been what God has had me chewing on the last couple of days.

Glad to be His,
Johnny