If you’re a woman over the age of forty, then you know,  the struggle is real. Those annual physicals and everything else that goes with it.  Well, it was that time of year again and there I was, standing by the door in the corner of the room as the technician adjusted the large X-Ray machine . She looked over at me, “Oh honey, you look cold. Can I get you a warm robe?”  

I wonder what gave it away? Perhaps she noticed my lifted shoulders or my crossed arms or that the gown I was wearing offered me little warmth.

But I just wanted to get this appointment over with, so I declined her offer. “No, it’s okay…I’m good. I’m always cold.”  (I was even given a sweatshirt that says so)

Despite what I said, she walked into the hallway, grabbed a robe from the warmer and put it over my shoulders.  “This process is uncomfortable enough, if I can do something to make it better, I will.”

No exaggeration, the warm robe made me feel as if I had just exited the Women’s Imaging Center and entered a spa.  I said no to this? What was I thinking?

And then it hit me. How often do I do this with God?

God is always accessible….but do I always access Him the way I should? He is right there. His word tells me so.

Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

James 4:8a Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Isaiah 66:2b “These are the ones I look on with favor, those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my Word.”

God wants to give me a robe straight out of His warmer (figuratively speaking, of course)….but how often do I do what I did at my appointment? ‘No thanks God. I’m good. I got this.”  (When I clearly don’t)

How often do I decline His gracious offer?

Five minutes of Bible reading and thirty minutes of scrolling through my social media feed might not be what God had in mind when He asks me to ‘dwell in His shelter,’ ‘draw near to Him’ or ‘tremble at His Word.’

As strange and even arrogant as this may sound, God doesn’t just love me, He likes me and wants to hang out with me. The God of heaven and earth desires to be near me and warm my soul.

And He wants to be near you too.

Wherever you find yourself today, shoulders lifted, arms crossed, whatever your struggle…we may not always have an attendant offering us a robe straight out of a warmer (oh, wouldn’t that be nice?)….But we do have a Heavenly Father who desires to surround us with His presence, sing over us and warm our soul.

Now why would we ever say no to that?

– Binu