Lap Time

Written by Steve McPeters

My wife and I recently found out that our son and daughter-in-law were expecting our first grandchild early next year. While my reaction to being told that we were going to be grandparents was not the same as my wife’s, I was surprised and very excited about becoming a grandfather. It excites me to know that my son and daughter-in-law will have the awesome privilege of raising a child, and I look forward to seeing them develop that parent-child relationship that I cherish with my own son and daughter. There is also a bit of a selfish reason for my excitement…the thought of having lap time with them.

When I was a young child I would often sit in my grandfather’s lap while he rocked and sang hymns to me. While raising our son and daughter, some of my favorite times were when one of them would come and climb up in my lap so that we could have a little lap time. Sometimes we would just sit there not saying a word. Other times, we would talk about whatever was important to them or even read one of their favorite books and perhaps watch one of their favorite movies. To me it was such an expression of the relationship, the love and trust that we had as father and child. Of course as our children grew, lap times got fewer and fewer until now it is only rarely that my daughter comes and sits in my lap. However, our relationship, built on trust and love, continues to grow.

In recent years our laps have been filled by three puppies, each seeking a place to snooze, play a game of tug-of-war with a toy or just to be petted. A lap full of puppy is certainly no substitute for a son, daughter or grandchild, yet it still demonstrates a relationship based on trust. Now I am excited about establishing a relationship with our grandchild that will be as special as the relationship with our son and daughter. To have a relationship built on love and trust would allow our grandchild one day to share lap time with Grandma and Grandpa.

No matter how wonderful a relationship I might have with my children or grandchildren, it is only a tiny reflection of the relationship that I have with Jesus. In Mark 10, scripture shows that Jesus uses the little children that were brought to Him to teach us that we must start our relationship with him in the same manner as a small child. It is the recognition of love that a parent has for a child and the child’s trust in his or her parent that causes them to crawl up in a parent’s lap and spend time there feeling safe and secure. It is our recognition of the love Jesus has for us, despite what we’ve done, that He demonstrated by dying on the cross that causes us to put our trust in Him alone for our security. Our relationship with Jesus only grows in comparison to the lap time that we spend with Him.