"Stay with Me a While"

“Julie, Julie… please just stop… for a moment stop. Stay with me for a while. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Jesus…. I have so many things…”

“I know you do. Have you forgotten who I am? I know of all that you need to get done. But wait. Rest a moment with me and trust that all of those things will be cared for at just the right time. Put your mind at rest, my darling. There is no need to think of so many things all the time. I promise you that I will take care of them.

“Look at me….. oh how I have missed your gaze. No don’t look away…. I know that your list of things to accomplish is only growing longer, but if you would take a moment with me, you would see that the list of reasons why I love you is growing longer too. Have you seen it lately? There are just so many things about you that fascinate my heart and oh! you take my breath away! I know you feel distant right now. You feel like you don’t know me very well. But I know you as well as ever, and I long to express that to you. I try to throughout the day, but you have not been as sensitive to my voice lately. You are hearing other things… other voices….

“You are beautiful. I know you hear that a lot, but the voices that tell you that only see a shadow of the beauty that I have created within you. They see your pretty smile, your happy eyes…. just a glimpse of all that resides deep within your soul. I know you enjoy hearing their compliments, but please don’t listen so much to them that you forget about me here. Stop and listen to what I have to say about you, my dearest friend. I promise you that when you do you will find yourself so much more fulfilled.

“Their words temporarily build you up but then leave you wondering if that is all you are. I know, I have seen your weary mind churning at night when you’re trying to sleep. You are more than what they say… And Julie, please don’t feel like you have to give yourself to everyone that has ever claimed friendship in your life. It’s ok to say ‘no’. It’s ok to deny them and yourself the time that you both “need” together. You don’t need it. It’s a nice thing, but trust me, I will still be waiting for you at the end of the night and when you find me you will still say, ‘Oh why didn’t I just stay here with you?’ And once again I will hold your head in my arms—even if just for a brief moment—as you shed a tear of longing for something greater than all this world can give. Then as you run away to check more things off your list I will silently pray and hope with all my might that you will come back to be with me. Because I miss you. And for as long as you insist on crossing off the list before you cross the room to be with me, you will miss me too.

“Come my darling, stay with me a while….”