Daniel turned 1 last month and is walking. Everywhere! He is climbing steps and going back down. He’s absolutely fearless. Yesterday we went to the playground and he decided to climb the steps and  walk through the barred  metal bridges and walkways. He’s been doing it a few weeks now, but today, he didn’t want any help. He kept pushing my hand away and trying to do it by himself. The whole while I was either right behind, directly above, or immediately in front of him. I never took my eyes off of him and even though he wanted to do it by himself, I knew he couldn’t. There were too many unknowns and drop-offs on the side of the play yard. The steps were too steep. The hills were too high. The slides were too big. He had no idea what could happen if I totally let him do it all alone. Even though he kept pushing my hands away, when he stumbled, he always reached for me. My hands were always there to catch him.

As I was chasing him through the playground, looking like a giant she-ape with my arms out around Daniel trying to anticipate which way he would fall, it made me wonder if that’s how God feels sometimes chasing me through life. I keep changing my mind and going different directions. I push God away and think I can do it on my own. I know what I want and when I want it and I have no idea what dangers are out there.

And yet God does for me what I did for Daniel. The whole while I am trying to do life alone, He is either right behind, directly above, or immediately in front of me. He never takes His eyes off of me. Even though I’m hard-headed and push Him away; even though I try to make the climb all alone, when I stumble or fall, He’s always there to catch me. I kind of like the idea of His big ole arms surrounding me on all sides like a giant papa bear. Aren’t you grateful He catches us when we fall?