My position from the piano bench at church offers me a unique perspective or view. Today during the children’s moment, the pastor pulled up a chair in front of the front row to talk to the children. A little girl kept looking at, who I mistakenly thought was the pastor, only to realize she was looking past him. She was waving over and over and just waiting for the wave back. She didn’t want the pastor’s attention, she had his attention and he was trying to get hers. I smiled when I realized that the wave she was waiting for was from her father who plays electric guitar in front of where my piano is on the stage. She had eyes for only him. As soon as he gave her a little tiny wave back, she beamed and settle down.

As often happens when I see something in real life I’m reminded of a lesson or a truth. In many ways I’m like that little girl. Affirmation might come at me from many places, attention might be offered from multiple directions, and there are other things in life vying for my focus, but they are not what I want or that I actually need. What I really need is to know that my father in heaven loves me, that he sees me and acknowledges me.

The truth is that I do know that, but sometimes I still need a little wave. Sometimes I think he wants to know that I’m looking just towards him for a wave. The biggest compliment I ever received was that given by a fellow believer who told me that they knew that my father, that God was pleased with me and that he loved me just for me, not for anything I can do or will ever do. The whole world can stand before me and tell me that they like something I do or they can clamor for my time or my attention, but what I really need is to know that God is always looking in my direction, always providing for everything I need, and always attentive when I call. I know that doesn’t mean he always gives me what I want, he’s a father not a vending machine. I don’t get to put in my order and expect that he’s going to give me the exact letter number combination I asked for. Instead, I let him know when I have I a need (which he knows about already) and I can be confident that he will provide although that provision will come in the way that he sees fit. Faith in my father’s love and care for me, strengthened by his faithfulness to me all my life.

It might feel nice to get attention from others or to have distractions, we all seek them sometimes but at the heart of every person is a need that only can only be met with a little wave from Father God.  The same simple love that little girl showed today when she sat there on that front row and just waved and wait and waved and waited, until her father waved back, is what I want to posses towards my heavenly Father today.  Today I’m going to spend time in pray, praise, study, and when I have his attention just commune with my Father.  To let him know that I seek his approval and not the approval of everyone around me.  This is that kind of seeking David wrote about, as the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you.  As a child tugs or wave over and over seeking the attention of the one they love the most, so my soul seeks you Lord. 

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve waved at our heavenly father. Maybe you’ve turned your eyes to all the other things thinking that getting attention from them would somehow meet the deepest need and desire of your heart.  I want you to know that it won’t. Nothing can bring you true joy and contentment like a wave from our Heavenly Father. So I challenge you to look past all the things clamoring for your attention and wave at your Father today. And wave, and wave, and wave and watch because he’ll wave back. And what a sweet moment of joy that will be for you!