Brown bears are so cute. I recently watched a documentary on the life of a mother bear and her twin cubs in Alaska. The program focused on the critters’ lives over the course of one year. It was truly fascinating to watch all the adventures the tiny family faced in the Artic. It was easy to surmise the mother bear had her paws full with the cubs, particularly the boy.
The girl cub always wanted to be right with her mom, even riding on her back at times. She never strayed too far away from the comfort of her loving parent. The male cub had a much more adventurous spirit. Countless times, he found himself in frightening blunders because he chose to go his own way, straying from the safety of his mother. Often she had to rescue her son by fighting predators or searching for him when he got lost. There was no limit to what this mom would do for her offspring.
The documentary reminded me of my own life and relationship with my Heavenly Father. I have often been like the boy cub, wandering too far from the One who is my refuge. If I could just learn to stay close to my Father, I would be so much better off.
James 4 reminds me the way to have a deeper, closer relationship with the Lord is by moving closer to Him. But what exactly does it mean to move closer to God? I know from experience the only way for me to move toward God is by spending time with Him through prayer and reading the Bible. When I’m faithful in progressing toward Him, I can feel His presence and strength. On the contrary, when I’m lax in devoting time to God, I can feel myself drifting down the wrong path, just as the male cub did so many times.
The most comforting thought is that God loves us regardless of whether we stay close or stray. He will always be our protector and friend, nurturing us along the way. Maybe there have been times in your life when you have wandered. Ask God for forgiveness and then commit to drawing closer to Him. Find hope in knowing God’s grace abounds, even when we make mistakes.
(Photo courtesy of morguefile and Sgarton.)
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Alisha Ritchie is a wife, mother of two wonderful children, physical therapy assistant by profession, and dedicated church member and Sunday school teacher. She resides in the small town of Stanfield, North Carolina, where she enjoys writing, spending time with her children, and ministering to others through her work and small group Bible studies.