By Sarah Damm
The invitation is real. His eyes dance with delight as He beckons me to join Him.
“On a playground, Lord?” I ask.
And all He does is laugh and extend His hand.
The magnetic pull is strong. It’s as if one part of the magnet is Jesus’ heart, and the other is my heart. They are not meant to be separate but together.
He is asking for my yes, my fiat. And He really hopes I don’t keep Him waiting any longer.
Jesus is so full of joy! There is a lightness in His face, a playfulness in His eyes.
I instantly think of the many parables He told while on earth. The kingdom of heaven is like a vineyard … The kingdom of heaven is like ten maidens … The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
But Jesus is telling me a new parable. The kingdom of heaven is like, well, a playground.
And can’t you just picture it? A delightful, fun, adventurous place!
The Lord invites me to follow, knowing there will be joys and sorrows, highs and lows.
He shows me that the work He has for me (and you) in His kingdom has its ups and downs, kind of like the ladder I have to climb in order to receive the reward of a fast ride down a curving slide.
At times, life with Him will feel like the movements of the swing set. The work of pumping my legs back and forth will be so worth the carefree feeling of soaring high in the sky, with the wind in my hair.
And God reminds me that He doesn’t promise I won’t get hurt in this kingdom of His. Just like on a playground, sometimes I will fall off the swing or tumble off the jungle gym. I will scrape my knee. I will want to hide. There will be times when I find myself alone on the playground, too. I will be abandoned, left out, and at times lonely for companionship.
But Jesus, in His goodness, reminds me that He is near me when I fall. He is there to pick me up, wipe away my tears, and heal my wounds. He is my friend when no one else is.
I stand on the edge of the playground, the edge of the kingdom of heaven. With an outstretched arm, Jesus extends His invitation once again. His eyes are brimming with delightful mischief, filled with light and love.
“Let’s go, Sarah! I have so much planned for us. What are you waiting for?”
I place my hand in His. Warmth travels through my entire being, assurance that the Lord has me in the palm of His hand. I am His, and He is mine.
“OK, Lord!” I respond. “Let’s go!”
And we begin to run.
“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
About the Author:
Sarah Damm is a Catholic wife and mom to six children. She spends her days like many moms—running errands, helping with homework, and cooking meals. She writes at sarahdamm.com, and she is also a contributor with CatholicMom.com and New Evangelizers.
love the analogy. It is perfect. So many aspects of the playground match the Kingdom. My mind will be thinking about their many comparisons all day. This is a great new parable to be told about the eternal message of God’s Kingdom. Thanks Sarah and know that I am right there next to you swinging high, sliding down, climbing, soaring and spinning round. Life with Christ is one big play:)
Thank you, Karen! Glad to have you along for the ride 😉
Life with Christ is one big play day:)
That is beautiful Sarah! ❤️ Thank you!
Thank you, Connie! God bless you! <3
A joyful and uplifting analogy, Sarah! Thank you for sharing your writing talent with us and bringing joy to my morning 🙂
Thank you, Stephanie, for your kind words. They mean the world to me!
So beautiful! Just what I needed to read today! Thank you!!
Melody, I am so grateful and humbled that this little piece blessed you. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Thanks for sharing Sarah!
You’re welcome, Mona!
Love this!!!!
Thank you, Leonna! God bless!!
What a wonderful analogy! Thanks, Sarah for sharing. I am with you, Let’s give the Lord, our fiat.
Amen to giving the Lord our fiat!! God bless your day, Kathy!
Sarah, this is fun! No longer will I find an excuse to delay taking the little ones, in my care, to the playground. I will run and not grow weary.
Mary K! So good to see you here. Enjoy your playground fun!
What fun way to picture our Jesus! He loves us and wants to see us play! Beautiful writing…thank you dear Sarah!
Thank you, Teddi!
Sarah, I shared this with my Bible study this morning and directed them your way! All enjoyed the analogy of Jesus on the playground. It lightened our “heavy” study of Galatians! ha! I’m thinking WINE will have a few more followers now! Thanks again!