A River Runs Through It

Last night I watched the movie, "A River Runs Through It." For those of you who have seen it I need not elaborate but for those who have not, the essential theme is about family. The story is told through the eyes of an older brother. In one of the last scenes the father, Reverend Maclean, shortly before his death, said this,

"Each one of us here today will at one time in our lives look upon a loved one who is in need and ask the same question. 'We are willing to help Lord but what if anything is needed?' It is seldom true we can help those closest to us, either we don't know what part of ourselves to give but more often than not the part we have to give is not wanted. And so, it is those we live with and should know who elude us. But we can still love them. We can love completely without complete understanding."

This touched me deeply because there are times that our children will not let us love them the way we want to. They don't seem to need our concern or our questions. They only want their laundry done, their food prepared and the stability of us being there. Just being there. The place of distant viewing is forced upon us by those that we are supposed to love. They cannot seem to find it in themselves to forgive us for our shortcomings as parents.

God stands afar off from most, with Himself to give, in the physical form of His Son, and we do not want Him. We want His blessings. We want many things but we don't truly want Him. His faithfulness is overwhelming. His love knows no bounds. But His distance from us is of our own doing. My husband says, "God is the ultimate Gentleman." He will not come in where He is not invited. If you draw boundaries He will not step over them.

I have had to erase a few boundaries lately and in so doing it has widened my spiritual horizons. I was given eyes to see and ears to hear with. And with my new eyes I could see those who needed to be loved completely but as yet were not completely understood. I could hear the silent cry of those who simply needed acceptance for who they were. This acceptance I have craved all my life and the Lord is saying, "You must give before you can get. You must do before it is done to you."

I am thine O Lord, I have heard thy voice and it told thy love to me.
I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer precious Lord to the cross where thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer precious Lord, to thy precious bleeding side.

Erase your boundaries.
Lily