Circling back to God

While I was at an Oktoberfest festival with my wife and her sister and brother-in-law, I observed a young girl of about two wandering around. She'd do some exploring, but never too far from her parents, who she'd soon return to. She'd once again wander away--just a few feet or so--and then circle back.

It made me think of how we so often are with God. We want our independence. We want to explore, even to step away from Him (as if that were possible). But we also want Him to be there for us when we circle back, when we get scared of what's out there or when we need His presence to remind us He's watching over us. Psalm 139:7-8 remind us we can't go anywhere that God is not. And just like that little girl--and like my wife's 20 year old son (both of whom are still the children of their parents)--as much as we enjoy our independence, knowing we have a safe place to return to is ultimately comforting.