I’m not sure why so many of my interactions with my five year old include her throwing up, but they do.

If you don’t want to read any further I completely understand.

Alright, for those of you still with me…

Not to long ago at a party with our youth staff I was called into the nursery to console Andrea after yet another barfing episode.

When I walked into the room I saw her sitting head in hands at the miniature preschool sized table.

I pulled up next to her and asked her how she was feeling.

She was upset. Her hair was wet and messy. It was a combination of a water fight gone bad and vomit (again you don’t have to keep reading).

She was embarrassed, upset and wanted her dad.

Her shirt was too messy so Andrea wore her winter coat with nothing underneath.

She wouldn’t even look at me. She just sniffled and stared at the floor.

I asked what happened and she started crying louder and more intensely.

My heart went out to my sweet little mess of a daughter.

Yes. She was less than adorable in that moment, but I didn’t really care. I love her. She’s my kid.

I realized all I really wanted to do was hold her. I wanted to show my daughter that no matter what (no matter how gross, nasty, and messy she was) dad loved her and wanted to hug and kiss her.

After I reassured her of my love for her I asked if I could hug, kiss and hold her.

I wasn’t prepared for her answer.

I was expecting a great big yes. I would then encourage her give her a squeeze and I would move up a couple spots on the father of the year list.

“No.” Andrea uttered.

No?! Here I am, willing to hug, kiss and console this sweet girl and all I get is a flat, “No.”

Ridiculous!

I asked her how come and her answer made much more sense.

She said, “I’m dirty, stinky, and yucky… I need a bath.”

I let her know that I understood and that I really just wanted to hug her anyway. “Would that be okay?” I asked.

“No. Not till I get home and get cleaned up.” She answered.

I felt so bad for her. Not wanting to break her already fragile heart any further I said okay and reminded her of how much I loved her.

When we got home we got her in the bath, got her all cleaned up and sent her to bed.

As I look back on this whole thing it reminds me of how humanity (you and me) interact with God.

He loves us. Thinks the world of us. Sent His only Son to die for us. He wants to swoop us up in his arms and hug and kiss us.

Yet, how often is our response similar to Andrea’s?

No God. I’m dirty. I’m too messy. I’m not ready. Let me take care of some stuff first.

We wrongly think that we’re too _____ for God.

We think things like:

He doesn’t want to deal with my ______.

The fact of the matter is God is not intimidated by your _____.

He went to the cross for your _____.

He’s ready to embrace you, all of you. Your flaws and all.

All we have to do is reach out by faith and trust our good father in Heaven.

God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5.8)