Make Room for God

Yael Eckstein  |  July 25, 2023

You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. — Song of Songs 4:12

These devotions explore the Jewish perspective of love. In Hebrew, the word for love is ahava, which comes from the root word, hav, “to give.” In Judaism, to love is to give. Giving to others enables us to love one another.

One of the most exciting and frustrating stages of parenthood is when your toddler decides it’s time to do everything by themselves! It may lead to milk spilled all over the table and heads stuck in sleeves or a wonderful sense of accomplishment, but it almost always comes with an obsessive determination, regardless of how many things will get broken along the way.

While this is endearing in a child, many adults approach life with the same stubbornness, refusing help from everyone, including God Himself. Most people don’t intentionally reject God’s help—they simply don’t ask for it.

Instead, they carry the burden of life on their shoulders, despite the fact that God is eager to help them carry their load. As the psalmist said, “The LORD is near to all who call on him” (Psalm 145:18). Some think that prayer is a waste of time when we have a day full of tasks awaiting us, but if we take a moment to ask for help, that list may become much shorter.

Make Room for God

In the Song of Songs, the man entreats his beloved, saying: “You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride…” In allegorical terms, God is asking His people to make space for Him in their lives. “I want to have a relationship with you,” He begs, “but you won’t let me in!” When we make room for God, we make Him part of our life, and we also gain the ability to share our beauty and potential with the world.

God also reveals Himself through the people in our lives. When we open ourselves to others, we deepen our relationships. We often fear being a burden, but when we dare to be vulnerable and ask for help, we give people the opportunity to become part of our lives in an authentic way.

While it is so important for our children to learn to be independent, perhaps it’s just as important for them to learn to be humble enough to ask for help when they need it.

Your Turn:

The next time you experience a challenge, pray to God for help and reach out to someone for support.