Let God Love You
When You’re Tired
I got the email Thursday morning. It was from UPS. It said my package would be delivered today.
What would it be? I couldn’t remember what I’d ordered. But I was ready for it, whatever it was.
I’ve been extra tired lately. It’s been an extra busy winter. The demands of life sometimes overload me, both the fun as well as the hard. My introverted self wanted an escape.
Jeff had suggested I take a staycation. I’d been trying it. I did say no to a few things and postponed a few more.
My theme for Lent this season has been “Go slow; say no.“
But the no was designed to serve a purpose: to open room for the yes with God.
Place Your Order
I love getting packages (just ask Amazon). Placing an online order is exciting because I know it means a box will show up on my porch soon.
My “Go slow; say no” mantra was my way of placing a spiritual order, an ask of God to quiet down the noise so I could rest more in him.
But placing the order is just the beginning. Watching for the package comes next. And when it arrives? Receiving and opening the package brings joy.
God often attempts deliveries to us. But we’re not always home. We don’t always check the porch. We don’t always answer the knock.
But when we do? We are letting God love us.
Let God Love You
For my staycation week I let God love me: through Jeff’s offer to grill steak for supper; through cuddling a new one-day-old niece; through words of affirmation from a sweet friend.
And the package delivery from UPS? It came as promised on Thursday afternoon. I saw the UPS truck pull up, heard the thump of the package on the porch, answered the doorbell ring.
What was it? A book! One of my favorite things.
I’d won a copy of Doing Life With Your Adult Children from a give-away on Beth’s blog. Now it was here.
God was indeed loving me.
Anytime God wants to deliver a package on my porch, I want to receive it.
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What’s the latest package you’ve received lately? Who was it from? Please share in the comments.
Probably my momma!! Thanks good reminder!! Be loved!!
I need to pray about a staycation, too. I’ve been thinking about some kind of retreat. I would love to get away all by myself truth be told even though I love being with my husband for those get-aways, but I would love to have nothing to do but pray, think and read (and write!). Thanks for this reminder, Lisa. Easter blessings to you and your husband. May you continue to be refreshed in the Lord.
What a wonderful metaphor, Lisa! I enjoy the anticipation of receiving packages as well as when one comes as a surprise. Loved this!
Hope your staycation is well boundaries for you. Isn’t it interesting how busy this season of life can be? Who knew that empty nest time, grandparent time, retirement, etc. could fill up so many days with choices galore (sometimes in the midst of not-so-good-things)?
My latest unexpected delivery came in an especially encouraging phone call from our daughter about a writing suggestion followed by two seemingly coincidental confirmations within 5 days.
Have a quiet and blessed Holy Week, my friend.
And God’s delivery is always a special one! Like you, Lisa, I love to order books from Amazon – they arrive so quickly.
Blessings!
hat a wise, compasionate post…but coming from you, that’s not a surprise.
And yes, seeing Lisa Notes in my inbox is the arrival of an eagerly-awaited gift!
I find it hard to let God love me;
I often push His hand away.
But this does not end the story
’cause He’s gonna love me anyway.
Something you can say about Him
is that He’s pretty darn persistent,
that His love’s not given on a whim
to those who prove the most resistant.
I wonder, does He love the challenge
of courting spare and surly hearts?
The ones who say, “No, I can manage
while upending life in all its parts?”
Perhaps, like Paul, when we’re our worst
He schemes to make us come in first.
Oops.
Misplaced quote mark! Lines 11-12 should read
The ones who say, “No, I can manage”
while upending life in all its parts?
That book sounds good, as all my kids are adults now. I especially like the subtitle! 🙂
We’re in a busy few weeks just now. Much of it is enjoyable stuff (kid’s visits, birthdays). Some of it is not (husband’s colonoscopy, my mammogram, bone scan, and dentist’s visit). I am so wishing for a week with nothing on the schedule and praying for grace until that happens.
That’s an important point that a gift has to be received in order to benefit from it. May we all be receptive to God’s gifts.
I love your Lenten phrase, Lisa: “Go slow; say no”. I need to learn that saying too! 🙂
Letting God love you is the best idea of all. You never know what package He will deliver to your porch. Blessings to you, Lisa!
Love the analogy, Lisa. That package He delivers to us spiritually as well as physically can’t be matched by any other thing in this life.
Love the analogy Lisa. My favorite is cycling stuff. My next favorite is books. If I had written this a couple of days ago I would have said, “Books.” I gave a cycling jersey as a donation and received one back at 1/2 price. It came yesterday. Alas, it was too small so guess what? I get another. Yeah!!!
What a beautiful post, Lisa! I love your words, “But the no was designed to serve a purpose: to open room for the yes with God.” Sometimes it can be hard to see the purpose for the “no’s” in life, but God always has a purpose. His purposes always lead to more of Him. I’m so thankful for that! Blessings to you during your staycation!
Isn’t it cool how God does that?! How He provides His gifts at just the right times! It’s so beautiful! Enjoy your time letting God love on you!
The last 2 packages addressed to me were not actually for me, but I was able to give them to their rightful owners.
Passing them along was good!
Lisa,
What a great word picture you painted. So glad you were able to rest and slow down and your hubby Jeff cooked…praying for more openness, for both of us, to receive God’s love. Thank you 🙂
P.S. Processing grief is hard and tiring. Praying God comforts you and your friends.
“Go slow; say no.” Love it! How many times do we need to remember that?
Taking time to go slow and to make some space for God sounds like a good idea! And I love that a book delivery came at the perfect time. The last package I received was a top I had ordered a few weeks ago and forgotten about. It had the slogan “Faith not fear” and when it arrived it was the perfect reminder at the right moment!
I understand the wanting everything to slow down – to no to the world and Yes to God. I’ve felt like an introvert this year, wondering if the older I get do I morph into an introvert! But I think that is because I need a season of quiet and stillness. This just hit the right spot in me today!
I call these kinds of blessings getting hugs from God and He most definitely does give them and many times more often than we realize because we can overlook the many blessings at times, i guess one of the main reasons why is that of being distracted. Great reminder of slowing down and taking in all the love Christ has for us. #RechargeWednesday linkup
I love that word picture. Receiving what God delivers to my porch. Too often I receive in haste. Thanks for this and Happy Easter!
I love this post and I love you, sis. I want to let God love me too. So sad that we too often rush through life and don’t let even God love us. Thank you. Blessings to you, Lisa!
What a great reminder that we all need to take some time to wait on God and see what He has for us – those little gifts are always so special.
Love this imagery! I need to say no more often to Amazon, though. LOL