Playing with Jesus

At women's group at church the book "The Giving Tree" was read and we discussed what to us was the comparison to Christ giving Himself...all of Himself to us. The tree gave what the boy asked for in a way that sacrificed the tree. Each time the boy came, the tree asked if he would come and play. The boy had other things on his mind however. How often do we have other things on our mind rather than to just "be" with Jesus...to stop and "play" with Him as in the story?  We had a quiet time to listen to what Jesus was telling us. As usual, I was distracted and had difficulty getting into Jesus presence in order to hear Him. So at that time I didn't.  This afternoon I had a quiet time and at least for a short while I heard Him.  In response to the "come and play with me" referring to Jesus, I thought that I do not know how to play.  I always have serious things to talk about, things to ask for...like the boy. I don't remember how to play. I thought about my childhood and I remembered playing with my dad.  That's not all I remember about him...there's more than a few dark memories with him in them.  So I cried and told God that I didn't want to play with Him...at least right now.  

 

I began to pull some other memories about playing from my mind. Playing with Legos and Lincoln Logs for hours with my brothers and sister, playing soccer, softball, basketball and football in the yard...accidentally kicking my brother in the face when he tackled me...maybe...losing softballs down the storm drain...riding bikes down the big hill with no hands...sledding down the bigger hill and trying to make it to the creek at the far side of the bottom...fishing my brother out of the creek...taking all the books off the bookshelves and making roads for my brothers' toy cars and trucks. i could go on...more is coming to mind as I write this.  But anyway...I wonder...what does one "play" with God? I don't know...I haven't played in a long time.