One step

I haven’t written in a while. Not because I haven’t wanted to, but because I just haven’t been able to think of anything to write. But then I saw this meme the other day, and it really touched my heart. It said: no matter how many steps you take away from God—it only takes one to get back.

At first, I couldn’t figure out the logic of that. I mean, mathematically speaking, if you travel a mile to get somewhere, you have to travel a mile to get back. But then I really started thinking about it. What if the reason we only have to take one step back is because God came with us even when we were trying to get away from Him?

It’s the only thing that makes logical sense. For those of you who are blessed to have children, you must know that no matter how badly they screw up, no matter how far they’ve wandered from you, you’re always willing to take them back. All it takes is that one phone call, or text, or e-mail. Because while they may have gone miles from you, you went along with them, even if they didn’t know it.

Just think. That’s how much Jesus loves us.

No matter how far we wander, how far we go, Jesus stays with us. And that one step that remains to come back to Him—that isn’t because God wants that step to be there. That’s because He respects our will, and leaves that step there if we want it there. And then the moment we’re ready to bridge that gap, he is right there waiting to welcome us back into his arms.

Remember the story of the prodigal son? Well, it’s like that. Jesus doesn’t stand on ceremony. He never has. In the Gospel, He touches lepers to heal them. He cures on the Sabbath. He invited Himself over to a tax collector’s house for dinner. If anybody was breaking social norms, it was Jesus. He did that out of love. And He is still doing that today.

He has always been willing to go as far as it takes to save us. For Him, there is no going too far. After all, He died on a Cross for us. He paid the ultimate price so that we could have salvation. If He is willing to do all that for us, then it’s no wonder that one small step can’t stop Him. Only we can do that. We have free will. But as soon as we tell Him, “Lord, I want you back.” He is there saying, “My Child, I never left you.”

Jesus is God. He needs nothing from us. And yet He is right there, waiting for us. No matter how far you think you’ve gone from Jesus, no matter how many steps you’ve taken, you only need one step to go back to God. Why, you ask? Because Jesus will come the rest of the way. He’s already waiting with open arms to welcome us back. All we have to do is let Him.