God is Like an Ice Cream Truck*

Do you remember the feeling that drew you in when the music of the ice cream truck touched your ears? It was intoxicating. You might have been scrambling all over the house for loose change or frantically asking mom for 35 cents. Do you remember Bullets, Bomb Pops, Ice Cream Push-Ups, Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars, and candy of all kinds? How about something salty like chips or a pickle? They had those too.

God is like an ice cream truck. He turns the music on and you are instantly drawn to find Him. Now, you might think this isn’t true, but think a little more indirectly, through your relationships. For example, I remember in college having this same feeling of anticipation when I’d meet up with my friends. I couldn’t wait to be with them at Applebee’s on a Friday night or on campus somewhere for lunch during a weekday. More recently, I remember having this same feeling meeting up with a house church I was a part of a few years ago. A friend of mine says he has this sense of anticipation about a men’s church group I’m a part of each week. It is one of his favorite things to look forward to during the week. Another man describes to me how when he and his wife each get home from work, they can’t wait to be together for an hour or so, before they venture out for the evening’s activities; with each other or on their own. They’ve been married for 10 years. In the end, only God can satisfy this deep longing, but our safe and healthy relationships can point us in the right direction.

God is like an ice cream truck. He turns on the music and we’re instantly drawn to Him. Where is it? Where is it coming from? Gotta find it. Keep an eye out in your weekly experiences for those safe and healthy relationships you anticipate the most.** That’s the music coming from God’s heart. You gotta go find it. It’s awesome.
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*This title concept is directly taken from Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge p. 131. The writing by me in this blog entry is completely my own extrapolation from this concept.
**Some forms of anticipation aren’t actually good, because they are addictions. There is a difference between a deep longing for the safety that a relationship provides or the compulsive desire to get whatever rush you can get out of it. A gentle longing vs. a compulsive desire. You’ll know the difference because those sorts of relationships never satisfy. In this sense, maybe the ice cream truck analogy isn’t totally accurate.