Run to the Father

I volunteer in the kids’ ministry at my church some Sundays. While it’s fun being with all the kiddos, from ages 2-11, it’s also quite exhausting. There’s one part of the morning, though, that I especially love when I volunteer with the little kids aged 2-5.

It’s when their parents come to pick them up after the service. 😂 Now hear me out. It’s not just the best time of the morning because we can finally send the usually rowdy, loud, germy, and sometimes snotty kids home (LOL), but also because I love seeing their reaction to their parents standing at the door, waiting to take them home.

After we teach the kids the Bible lesson for the day, they entertain themselves by playing with toys and the other kids until it’s time to go home. Sometimes, more than one kid wants to play with the same toy at once or the kids just don’t want to stop playing when it’s time for the Bible lesson. That’s when “Miss Olivia” steps in…

However, I’m always amazed at how quickly these toys that captivated their attention are tossed aside when the kids see their mom or dad waiting for them. Toys that they fight with other children to maintain – or take – possession of suddenly lose all interest and value compared to the prospect of their parents’ open arms.

Seeing these tiny humans run ecstatically to their loving parents always makes me think of our loving heavenly Father. Often, we can become so enraptured by inconsequential things of this life and the world. We care more about our social media followers, our fashion choices, gaining popularity at school, making more money at work, or getting into the college or university we want to than pursuing the Lord. We get distracted by things like politics, friendships, or the guy or girl we like and claim we can’t live without.

Remnant, imagine what it would look like to cast aside everything that doesn’t bring us closer to the Lord as those little kids who cast aside their toys in pursuit of their parents. Imagine running to your loving Father Whose arms are always open wide, waiting for you. There is nothing that will fulfill us more than God – nothing this life or this world has to offer. So why do we let ourselves become distracted by the shiny yet empty distractions of the world?

What if there was a generation so passionately in love with the Lord that they pursued His kingdom, His heart, and things of eternal value far above anything else?

Guess what.

There can be. It starts with you and me.

Let us follow the call in Hebrews 12:1-2 to radically love God enough to pursue Him:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (NKJV).

Remnant, will you join me? Like the prodigal son who abandoned the reckless lifestyle that left him empty and returned to his father, will you commit in 2026 to run passionately to the open arms of the Father? Will you boldly toss aside every distraction of our culture, every meaningless debate and division, every rebellion, and every sin that drags you away from God?

Let’s do it together.

-Olivia

Bonus!

This week's post reminds me of a song by worship leader Cody Carnes, "Run to the Father." This song beautifully captures the image of running to our heavenly Father Who loves us. Click the button below to listen!

Listen now!

---

If you enjoyed this article, share it with a friend and leave a comment down below! Don't forget to subscribe to The Remnant for more content straight to your inbox! (Just make sure the emails don't go to spam first.)

See you in a couple weeks for a new post!