I’m okay, God

I am sitting at Gate C1 at Detroit International Airport. A mother and daughter of 4 sit across from me. Mother looks as if she has been traveling for a few days. Her eyes are heavy. Her smile is faded. Her shoulders sag. Her young child in tow is wide-eyed and full of energy. “What are we doing, Mama?” the inquisitive girl asks her exhausted parent.  

Mama replies with more patience than I could muster, “We are waiting for them to tell us to get on the plane. Do you think you can do that?”

“Yes!” the little girl exclaims. In a flash, she grabs her toy Delta airbus and takes off into a crowd of deporting passengers. Mama, in surprise, jumps up, turns to watch her young girl nearly trampled by several 200 pound men, zooming roller bags, and deadly pairs of 6-inch heels.

“CJ!” She calls out, “CJ! Be careful!”

From the midst of the crowd a small, clear, voice emerges, “I’m okay, Mama. I’m okay.” 

“I know you’re okay. I know,” a stronger and clearer voice reassures, “But you must stay close. You will get hurt if you aren’t close to me.”

I can’t help but watch this scene and make a comparison to my own life. How many times have I been little CJ? I find myself asking God, “What are we doing now, God?”

“We are waiting, my Child.” He replies. “Do you think you can do that?”

“Sure,” I say, “For a minute.” Then I’m zooming off to spend my time waiting for the next thing. And God calls out to me…”Whoa! Slow down! What are you doing!?”  


“Just waiting, God. Like you told me to. But I got bored. I have to do something with my time. But, I’m okay, God. Don’t worry.” An ignorant voice answers.

“You are okay. But you need to be careful.” My Father says sternly.

“OK,” I sheepishly respond.

Then, as a mother cradles her toddler in her arms for safety, my God holds me to his chest and whispers, “Just stay close to me. You will not get lost. You will stay safe. You will be surprised by how quickly the time will go, if you just listen to me. Believe me, you are much better off.” 


In my mind I think, “But God, this is not exciting! This is not what I want to do today. I’d really just like to play with my toy airbus in a crowd of strangers…even if I do get trampled.”

“I know,” God says with a smile. “But I will not let you get trampled. Even if that is what you want.”

My heart swells with joy when I remember I have a protector bigger than the world I live in. A person who knows when I say, “I’m okay,” what I really mean is, “I need you and I always will.” How can I help but smile when the words he declares, prove true in my everyday life? He says to me, “I have graven you into my palms, you are mine.” Happy tears of relief and love spring forth as my whole life begins to change. What can I do but shout from the roof tops, “You are a great God! Thank-you. Because of you, I am okay. I am okay, and I can do what you say. I can wait.”