Love Is Patient

We have an older woman who attends our church. At one time, for a long time, her grown son and his family were also members. But, as it happens sometimes, the son became disillusioned with the church, and he and his family quit coming. Except for his mother. Every Sunday, without fail, she saves an aisle seat for her son. Just one seat, right beside her. He doesn't come, and the seat stays empty, but she patiently waits.

One Sunday, out of the blue, she looked up to see her son standing beside her row. She quickly moved her purse and her Bible out of the seat so that he could sit down. It was just that one Sunday. He hasn't returned. But the empty seat right beside her will be waiting, if he ever comes back. Then, maybe, he'll be back for good.

It makes me think about how far we get from God sometimes. We get so caught up in our careers, our past-times, even in our church activities, that we wander away. Or maybe, like the son, we've deliberately walked away from God, angry over something He did or didn't do.

The great thing is, God doesn't move. It could be weeks, or months, or even years, but when we're ready to return, we never have to worry that God will have given up on us. God doesn't give up. Whether we've drifted away from God, or deliberately turned our back on God, He'll keep waiting. He's got a spot saved just for us.