Written by Jane Larsen, Director of Connections, Legacy Coalition
“Right here! Right here! Right Here!”
Those words are on repeat with our 2-year-old granddaughter. She points with her tiny finger, letting you know where to put her bowl of oatmeal on the table: “Right here.” When I take my shoes off, again, a little finger and repeated words of “Right here, right here, right here” lets me know the exact place to set my shoes. I’m chuckling recalling it even now.
Those repeated words are also an invitation to her heart. We have a little blanket with a red heart on it we use to read books. She likes to get all “cozy” under the blanket and then will invite me to sit “right here, right here, right here” next to her, that little finger showing me the exact spot right next to her. The invitation to read to her almost feels sacred to me.
We live too many miles away from her, so family get-togethers are some of our favorite days. She was recently with us for a long weekend. When she walked in the door after not being in each other’s physical presence for about 2 months, she said on repeat “Gammy’s here, Gammy’s here.” The next morning when she came downstairs, she sweetly smiled at me and again, Grammy’s here. Each morning, she repeated with that precious smile upon seeing us, “Grammy’s here” or “Grampy’s here.”
The word “here” means a lot to my granddaughter. Her joy shows when she sees we are ‘right here’ and still here even the next day. And it means a lot to me, and to you. It’s presence. We are present, together—in companionship, fellowship.
As her grandparents, people in her life who have been trusted to teach her about the Lord, I’m pondering how this relates to helping her understand someone even greater is “right here.”
What a wondrous joy it is to think about showing her and helping her understand Jesus is right here. He is with her. He will never leave her. When she is sad, scared, unsure, or in need of comfort, Jesus is here. And He is RIGHT HERE. Ever present, intimate, always everywhere.
My prayer for our precious granddaughter is for the presence of the Lord in her life to be so heavy and joyfully clear, she is able to say with confidence, “Jesus is right here!” and that sweet little finger will point to her heart.
Let’s commit to being intentional about finding ways, working with what we have, to teach and remind our children and grandchildren the Lord is here and His sacrifice on the cross allows us to know Him personally and to say with confidence, Jesus is right here.
