I played duck, duck, goose when I was in Kindergarten. We'd all sit in a circle. The person who was the goose would walk around the outside of the circle tapping kids on the head. With each tap, the goose would say, "duck or goose." A typical game sounded like, "duck, duck, duck, duck, goose!" and when the goose would call, "Goose!" the person that he tapped on the head would get up and chase the first goose all the way around the circle of players.
A couple of notes about how this game always played out:
1. The original goose never got caught because he was already standing
2. The goose always waited until it he got to his best friend before he called 'goose' (when it was me, I always waited for Rupee Chima or Eric Rovang to call, 'Goose!')
And so the game goes.
We sit in this big circle. Seven billion people big. And God goes around the outside of the circle and I hear it when He gets near. "Duck, duck, duck." He draws closer and I pray harder. "duck, duck, duck," and he gets to me. He taps me on the back of the head and says, "duck," and I sigh and pray again. Pray for salvation. For His calling. For His touch. For my turn when He taps me on the head and says, "Christian!" and I get up and I chase after Him.
And I pray some more. Knowing that He's quick. That I have more than one opportunity. That I hear Him coming again. "Duck, Christian, duck," and I sigh, thinking that He's just chosen a Christian and might not pick another so quickly. Yet I pray.
And I feel the tap.
And I hear the word.
"Christian!"
And I get up and run. Harder than I ever ran chasing after Rupee or Eric. Desiring and praying to be closer to Him. Running and panting.
And then I notice a difference in the game.
It's not like the Kindergarten game.
There are others.
Others chasing with me. Encouraging me as I encourage them. Helping me to learn. To understand. To get closer.
And I smile. At my fellow runners. And at my new title. Said with enthusiasm. By Him.
"Christian!"
A couple of notes about how this game always played out:
1. The original goose never got caught because he was already standing
2. The goose always waited until it he got to his best friend before he called 'goose' (when it was me, I always waited for Rupee Chima or Eric Rovang to call, 'Goose!')
And so the game goes.
We sit in this big circle. Seven billion people big. And God goes around the outside of the circle and I hear it when He gets near. "Duck, duck, duck." He draws closer and I pray harder. "duck, duck, duck," and he gets to me. He taps me on the back of the head and says, "duck," and I sigh and pray again. Pray for salvation. For His calling. For His touch. For my turn when He taps me on the head and says, "Christian!" and I get up and I chase after Him.
And I pray some more. Knowing that He's quick. That I have more than one opportunity. That I hear Him coming again. "Duck, Christian, duck," and I sigh, thinking that He's just chosen a Christian and might not pick another so quickly. Yet I pray.
And I feel the tap.
And I hear the word.
"Christian!"
And I get up and run. Harder than I ever ran chasing after Rupee or Eric. Desiring and praying to be closer to Him. Running and panting.
And then I notice a difference in the game.
It's not like the Kindergarten game.
There are others.
Others chasing with me. Encouraging me as I encourage them. Helping me to learn. To understand. To get closer.
And I smile. At my fellow runners. And at my new title. Said with enthusiasm. By Him.
"Christian!"
