I am Near

{Originally Posted / Sept. 9, 2009}

It’s quite amazing, the human intuition, the human instinct.
 My daughter, who’s now 2, can recognize my voice from anywhere.
Everyday I pick her up from her daycare. Her daycare has multiple outdoor spaces for play. And sometimes I’ll arrive when she’s outdoors playing with her friends. And as you can imagine, it’s not always so quiet and calm. But even in the midst of daycare chaos, i can gently call her name and she will immediately recognize, turn and run towards my voice. I’ve tested this multiple times. And to my amazement, there are times I don’t even have to say anything at all. My very presence she can “sense”. I’ll be watching her play from afar, just delighting in the moment, feeling blessed to have such a beautiful healthy child, when suddenly she’ll sense me near, turn and cry out, “daddy!” My daughter knows my voice, my daughter senses and recognizes my presence… my daughter waits eagerly for my voice/presence all day.

“My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
- John 10: 27 (Message Version)