Wide open. That's how my grandboy holds his mouth when he's ready for the next bite of oatmeal. He couldn't stretch his lips any farther. He's a focused eater. He may stop a second to point at a bird that lands on the windowsill, or point to his sippy cup for a drink, but he stays with it. He knows what he needs and he is ready.
His mouth looks just like the four mouths of the robins just outside my friend's door, nested in her asparagus sprengeri houseplant, outside for the summer. When I saw them the other day, I couldn't even see their bodies, just their mouths, open to the sky, ready for mama robin.
How do I learn to be so wide open to the one who feeds me? How do I stretch my mouth to receive with abandon, all Jesus wants to give me? "Taste and see that the Lord is good," the psalmist says (Psalm 34:8) Though I know much of his goodness, there is always more with Jesus.
These images, of babies with wide open mouths, remind me again of need to be hungry. I need to be a focused eater of the word of God. A consistent seeker of his presence and power. We get distracted by a world out of control, old pain, new fears, and endless tasks. Right now, let's stop for just a minute, and practice opening our spiritual mouths. We need his food. Let's be ready when he brings nourishment.