Playing Hooky

What went through your mind as you listened to your teacher take toll on the first day of school? My first thought is a racing heart as I waited for the letter M to come along. Would she pronounce my name correctly? Would the other kids laugh? But when I heard the familiar name I threw my little hand straight up into the air to state I was there and proud of it. We love to hear our names, don’t we? We feel as if we belong.

However, when the third month of school rolled around I sat, with hands laid flat on my desk, and said in a tired tone, “present”. School was great, but every day? That was another story. When would summer ever appear on the calendar again? I would watch the big black and white clock barely tick off the minutes and say to myself, “I didn’t come here to work!”

I missed home and would often fake a cold so I could watch “I Love Lucy”, “Dick Van Dyke”, and “Andy of Mayberry” with my mother. I didn’t always want to be present…I preferred to be absent. I wasn’t one of those who had to have a certificate with 100% attendance. We’re like that, aren’t we? If it doesn’t feel good…we don’t want to do it anymore.

Thank goodness God is unlike us. We are made in His image…not the other way around. If He says He will do something…you better believe He will. Several times in His Word, He says, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

Leave means; to depart from. Forsake means; to abandon, to give up or renounce. The opposite would be—to stay, continue, defend, care, maintain, adopt, be loyal, support, keep and hold. That…is our God.

Psalm 46:1b says, “…God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Do you ever stop to thank Him for being “ever-present” in your life? What a joy and privilege to know that He is with us at all times, even when we’re not that pleasant to be around.

I challenge you to pray this prayer, “Father, show me You are present in my life.”