Near
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8
Most of us have probably attended a show, wedding or big event where white doves were released at the end. Tez Brooks, author for All God’s Creatures, is a dove trainer—the one you call when you want doves to play a part. What a life lesson is shared below!
*****
The grave burst open, and Jesus walked out with arms raised, backlit by a floodlight. Four white doves flew out from behind the tomb, right on cue. They circled above the three thousand in attendance, then came to rest in the rafters of the auditorium. The music reached a crescendo, the curtain dropped, the audience applauded, and the house lights came on.
The music ended—another successful performance. As the director for the dramatic portions of this traveling show, I was exhausted but pleased with the outcome.
Once the building was empty, I entered the quiet stage. Only the gentle cooing of the doves could be heard. I couldn’t spot them, but I knew they were there. Dorothy, Daryll, Dillard and Donald were pure white and trained to return to me.
All I had to do was tap on a pie tin filled with birdseed, and they would flutter down to the stage. After a few minutes of feeding, I planned to return them to their cage until the next performance in another city.
But before I even tapped on the tin, Daryll cooed excitedly and flew straight at me, landing on my shoulder and rubbing his head on my cheek. His affection touched me. Even when the others came to feed, he refused to leave, snuggling up against my neck. Food was not his motivation for returning that night; it was solely his fondness for his master.
I want to be more like Daryll when it comes to my relationship with Christ—forsaking all for the closeness of my Master. I’ll know my priorities are correct when my desire for all other attractions fades compared to my wish to be close to Him
Father God, thank You for constantly being with us. Help us to seek you first above anything else and to come right into Your Presence. AMEN.