Elbows & Ears - Crosswalk the Devotional - September 27

God created us for fellowship. He desires praise and prayer. He's absolutely listening.

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Elbows & Ears
by Shawn McEvoy

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. - Exodus 6:6

Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.- Psalm 4:1

Once, when my son was just shy of three, he informed his mother he was drawing a picture of God.

"Oh… What does God look like?" she asked.

"Well, I put some elbows and some ears," he replied, and he went back to his work.

I was told that story when I came home from work. Cute, I thought. Not exactly as awe-inspiring as Ezekiel's vision, but sounds like a weird picture. I mean, where is the face?

"The face of the Lord is not one you could look upon" ( Exodus 33:12-23), came the voice inside my head.

Where are the hands and feet?

That's you.

Oh yeah, that's true…

So… elbows and ears, huh?

Well, I guess God does reach us, and move us, and nudge us, and hold up the light to our paths. As Wayne Watson sang, "No one in this world can slip beyond the reaches of the long arm of the Lord."

And I know he hears us. He created us for fellowship. He desires praise and prayer. He's absolutely listening. He can even hear things we don't even know we're saying. As Steven Curtis Chapman sang, "The cross should have been mine, But His love broke through time, And heard my heart's cry."

So in one statement about one drawing by one child, I had digested a complete meditation on the nature of God, who He is and what He does, even what He leaves for us to do. As Casting Crowns sang, "If we are the body... Why aren't His hands healing... Why aren't His feet going?"

Intersecting Faith & Life: Consider today what part of the body you are playing, and what other parts (eyes, mouth, shoulders, etc.) describe what you know about the character of your God.

Further Reading

Kids Ideas about God (humor)
What Does God Look Like?
Matthew 5:8

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Related Resource: Bold Prayers: Asking God to Reveal the Roots of Our Anxiety

Sometimes, anxiety can hit without any recognizable provocation, or our anxiety can feel more intense than the situation warrants. When we find ourselves in that place, we can pray the prayer ancient Israel's second king, David, prayed at the end of Psalm 139, trusting that our God will and is leading us to increased freedom. Listen in to this episode of Faith Over Fear and have your mind and heart fixed on the truth you need for your day! If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

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Christianity / Devotionals / The Crosswalk Devotional / Elbows & Ears - Crosswalk the Devotional - September 27