Single Eye

 “…so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:27

As I stood on the beach north of Trinidad, a small drama began to play out before me. A little boy about two years old began to walk away from his family. They watched him for a few seconds, then the grandpa said, “I’ve got him,” and began to follow a few steps behind.

The tyke, with the usual adorable baby-plumpness of a toddler, wearing denim overalls and a long-sleeve plaid shirt, steadfastly walked in the sand toward a crow that had landed on a large piece of driftwood. The little boy never took his eyes off it. As he came close, the bird, of course, flew away. The tyke then changed directions, and began to walk after the crow again. It was hard going for him, with his bare feet and the deep sand, but he never wavered from his mission.

Again and again, the crow flew off just as he came near. Each time it flew off, the little one resolutely pointed at it, and changed directions.

I was intrigued by the little one’s single-mindedness. He wanted to get close, maybe even touch, the bird. He was not deterred by the difficulty of his quest. He did not give up until he was swept up by Grandpa and carried back to his watching family. Even then, he did not cry, but only looked back and pointed over his shoulder. I could imagine him thinking, “I only wanted to get close.”

This not a parable about God being just out of our reach, for He is truly near to each one of us, as the Scriptures teach. Rather, it was a lesson to me of what a single-minded focus looks like. Nothing should deter us from seeking Him. This may mean changing the direction we are heading. It might mean moving away from whatever keeps us from pursuing Him.

Let’s consider the treasure of finding Him. May it change our lives.

Lord, we seek You, even grope for You, to find You, although You are not far from us. May our hearts and eyes be fixed on You. Help us to be steadfast in following You. Amen.