Heavenly Father

Running to Her Father’s Arms

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The children’s choir was singing in church that morning, as they do once a month. The kids all look their best on that day. Girls are in their Sunday dresses and boys are wearing their shirts tucked in their pants. They look sharp. And they sound great as they sing with the worship team. They practice every Sunday after church, and they learn a new song for the next month.

But it was after the children’s choir was finished that the next scene took place. The kids came down off the stage and went to sit with their parents. Then I saw the girl who had stood on the back row of the risers run into her father’s arms. She was wearing a white hat with a blue floral ribbon that matched her pretty dress. She looked very stylish. But something had happened sometime during the morning. I’m not sure if it was while the kids were seated waiting to sing. Or was it while they were singing? Or when they moved off the risers? I’m not sure. I just know that in that moment this young girl was very upset.

As she lunged at her father’s lap, he wrapped his muscular arms around her. She clung to him with all her might and leaned against his strong chest. He held her close as she cried her pain into his ear. He gently rubbed her back as he listened attentively and whispered fatherly advice. He loved his daughter and he was willing to listen to her cries and pleas while seated in a a church full of fellow believers. He wanted the best for his girl, and it was obvious that he would change the events that caused her tears if he could. But he couldn’t. So he held her close and showed her the love and attention of a caring father. And he wasn’t ashamed to show tenderness in front of those sitting nearby.

In that moment, there is no doubt that this ten year old girl felt loved. She knew she could count on her father’s arms of love wrapped around her soothing her cries. She didn’t doubt at all that he would welcome her with open arms. He was sitting in the pew waiting for her to come sit beside him when he noticed her wounded heart. And he tended to her wounds in the way any loving father would do.

The following Sunday, I saw her sitting with her family. But this Sunday was different. When she saw her friend run to sit with a new girl in church, this same girl who was being held by her father the week before jumped up and ran to sit with this new friend, as well. All was right in her world again.

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4

I wonder. How many times when we’re hurting and our ego is bruised or our world has been turned upside down do we just sit alone nursing our hurts? Do we even stop to run into our heavenly Father’s arms with our needs and concerns? Don’t we who have been following Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior know that he’s waiting for us? He wants to hear us tell him the fears we’re facing. He wants to hear us say that we’re uncertain about something in our lives. That we don’t know which way to turn. Or how to handle a situation. We need someone who is always available to be there for us. And do we ever stop to remember that our heavenly Father is there waiting for us to come to him?

Maybe it’s time to stop and ask ourselves who is the first person we run to when we’re in trouble? If it isn’t God, why not?

One of the great themes of the Bible is that God is our protector. He never stumbles and falls. He never trips over his words or thoughts. He is strong yet gentle. He is jealous yet loving. He is just yet forgiving. He is exact yet comforting. He is perfect yet understanding. He’s the Creator of the universe yet he’s the lover of your soul.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

Oh. I know. It’s easy to try to handle all our problems in our own way and timing. It’s easy to think that our spouse or our circle of friends are the only ones we can really trust with our big issues. But unlike that little girl’s father who didn’t know her problem until she told him, our heavenly Father already knows our problems. He’s waiting for us to run to him and fling ourselves into his waiting open arms so we can spill our guts to him. He’s always available to listen and surround us with his love.

We have to know that even though we believe in the protecting hand of God, we will still face trials of every kind. We are not exempt from evil or destruction or disease. We may face unending persecution or financial ruin or deep heartache. We may be rejected by those who once professed love. Yet we can still abide in the sweet presence of our God. He will not leave us or forsake us.

When a parent protects their child who has run into their safe embrace, the child may not feel the tremors of unease in their parent. That small child may not hear the heart’s groaning of their parent as they plead with God to save their child from the serious diagnosis or the trial they’re facing. The child will rest easy in the safety of their parent’s love, knowing that they will do all they can to ease the worries of their child. So, too, as we’re being held tight in the arms of our loving Savior, he is holding us steady against the ever increasing waves of evil penetrating our culture and world. He is sheltering us from an eternal destiny of destruction as we rest in his saving and forgiving grace. Regardless of the trials and troubles we’re facing, we can rest assured our salvation is in him.

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

~Keith and Kristyn Getty

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord ! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Lover of My Soul

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

She walked into church with her three boys. As the boys jostled to get into the pew, I noticed they followed a particular pattern laid out by their mom as they found their place. The oldest boy went in first, followed by the mom. Then the other two boys were last. The final boy didn’t want to sit on the end of the pew. He actually wanted to sit by his mom but was told no. He sat down with a dejected look on his face which the mom noticed with a watchful eye.

I watched this family as the service got started. The boy on the end with the rumpled curly hair didn’t seem happy, but mom would glance over at him to confirm he was ok. He wasn’t really ok, and he sulked. Mom noticed but didn’t call him out. When we stood to sing, he was fidgety. She tapped him on the shoulder and said to stand still. The other two boys were standing still and acting content. Of course. They were both standing next to mom. One on each side.

As the service continued, the curly hair boy asked his mom if he could stand by her. She said he would need to ask his brother if he could switch places. Brother said no. Mom knew curly hair was needing her love, so she motioned for him to stand in front of her because both sides were occupied by the other boys. He gladly climbed past his brother to stand in front of mom, where she put her arms around him. He stayed in that position for only a few minutes and then sat back down and began drawing pictures.

A little later, he asked the brother on the other side of mom if he could sandwich between the two of them as they were standing. The older brother obliged, but instead of standing he sat between them as they were still standing. When everyone sat down, he finally crawled onto his mom’s lap. And as she placed her arms around him in a warm embrace, he laid his head back onto her shoulder. Content at last, he was in his mother’s arms. He reached back and wrapped his arms around the back of her head. She tousled his curly hair in love, and when their eyes met his eyes were filled with love and contentment. He was safe at home in his mother’s arms. All was right in his world.

He didn’t stay long on his mom’s lap. He soon had enough and moved back to the end of the pew where he sat contentedly until it was time to leave for children’s church. He just needed the reassurance that he was still hers even though he wasn’t seated next to her.

I don’t know why this particular son was unsettled. Both of the other boys sat still and stood quietly near their mom. But then. They didn’t have to fight to be near her. They both had the assigned place near her for as long as they needed. The third boy had to fight to get near her. At one point, he squeezed his fist tight and slowly brought it to the back of his brother’s head, as if to punch him. But no punch was made. No touch was made. His brother never knew. Perhaps he was acting out his hidden frustrations.

Who knows. Perhaps the three boys have to take turns sitting beside mom each week, since there are three boys and only two sides of mom. And this Sunday the curly haired boy was out of luck, but he was doing everything he could to get some mom time. He desperately needed reassurance of her love.

The mom would occasionally glance at each of the boys, one by one, with pure love in her eyes. It was obvious she cared deeply about these kids and wanted the best for them. She was training them the discipline of behaving and worshiping in church with adults. It was a moving scene if you were noticing.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8

Our Heavenly Father shows his love for his children in a multitude of ways. He shows his love by holding us close when we are facing a difficult situation. By disciplining us when we go astray. By bringing us into fellowship with like believers. By providing for our needs. By hearing our prayers and answering them in accordance with his will. By showing favor on us.

We may not always feel physically close to God, but we can be sure that he has his eye on us. If his eye is on the sparrow, then he surely watches over those who call on his name. He knows when it’s our time to feel his presence near and dear to us. He knows when we’ve moved a little further from him. He always knows our name.

But most of all. God showed his supreme love for us by giving his Son sacrificially on the cross to die for our sins. He provided an alternate offering instead of asking each of us to die for our own sins. He punished his son for our sins, so we could have eternal life. And he willingly forgives us of our sins when we ask him. When we repent and bow to him, he forgives us and wipes our sinful slate clean.

The God of the universe created all of mankind to serve him. He created us with a love and purpose. He is the lover of our souls.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

~Stuart Townend

Reason for Hope

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I am by nature a pessimist.  Oh.  The glass is half empty.  Always.  There’s no pretty way around it.  I see the half of the glass that’s already been drunk.  It’s empty.  Gone.  That cold drink of water that I had craved.  Oh.  How it satisfied.  My thirst was quenched.  For a moment.  But it’s now gone.  Never to return.  It’s only a memory.  The rest of the water in the glass is inconsequential.  Doesn’t matter.  What mattered is what I no longer have.

Is that how it feels to live without hope?  Thinking the best of life is over.  Thinking that there are no more mountains to climb.  No more foes to conquer.  Thinking that you are the foe to be conquered.  Oh.  You may be standing now.  But not for long.  If there is no hope.

I don’t know what it’s like to live without hope.  That may sound strange for a pessimist.  But I’ve always had the thought that my best life was still to come.  Oh.  I know the day will come when that will no longer be the case.  But for today.  A girl can dream.  And I still dream.

So you may ask.  What is my hope?

Hope is the dream of something new

An old friendship renewed

Morning sun peeping through the windows

The win of a ballgame

A new love or a stronger love

The first glance at crooked teeth made straight

The first step once thought impossible

Fresh picked corn on the cob

A sight for sore eyes

Strength to pick up loose ends

The breath of forgiveness

A kiss on the lips

A warm chocolate chip cookie

A drop of rain on parched soil

The scent of wild honeysuckle on an evening drive through the country

The sighting of a rainbow in the clouds

Freedom to wave the American flag

If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

1 Peter 3:15

But there is more.

My hope is in a Creator who knew me before I was born.

My hope is in the baby born to a virgin and laid in a manger.

My hope is in a boy of twelve wise beyond his years.

My hope is in the Light of the World  who leads me out of darkness.

My hope is in a Provider who meets all my needs.

My hope is in a Redeemer who died on the cross for me.

My hope is in a Savior who forgave my sins.

My hope is in Jesus Christ who will return to this earth someday to usher all believers into heaven.

My hope is in a Heavenly Father who is preparing an eternal home for me in heaven.

If I lose everything, I still have my God.

So yes.  I do have hope.