Isaiah 40:11 - He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.
I had the wonderful opportunity the past couple of days to spend a little time with yet another grand niece. She's the newest of our grand nieces and nephew. What a darling, just like the other two toddlers preceding her in the family.
Not having had children, this is such fun for me. It's like being a Grammy but I can call myself Auntie! I marvel at the perfection of each of them as newborns and joy in their growth patterns. The older two are now able to talk and understand. Their personalities are taking shape.
Of all the children so far, baby Olivia seems to be nestled delicately (and yet seems to get lost), quite often, in her daddy's arm. Our nephew is a big guy! He's tall and lifts weights so he has massive arms. Little does she know yet the strength of those arms and the safety there is in them... How everyday life can show us about God's nature.
This is how we should feel in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. No matter what befalls us in life, we can know that He will never let go, will never leave us or forsake us, continues to hold us in the palm of His hands and hold us close in His arms. Though our nephew's arms are strong, our God's arms are stronger still. They are the tower of refuge we can run to when we are in need of shelter. He is our dwelling place.
In the world we live in today, we need that place of refuge. We need the arms of a great Father. I've said it over and over, He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega. He knows our needs, our strengths, our weaknesses. He knows just what we need. If He knows these things, shouldn't we place ourselves in the strong, loving arms of our Heavenly Father? Yes, He admonishes...and often that's not fun...but it's all for our own good.
Although there are not many scriptures about God's arms cradling us, I know we can all picture Jesus holding the lamb in His arms. We are all like that little lamb, the Bible tells us. We all wander and stray in life. When we get too far away or we are in danger, Jesus is there to pick us up and take us back where we are safe.
I also offer the picture of the prodigal son who chose to take his inheritance early and leave home to squander it, only to realize in time it was the unwise thing to do. He ashamedly and humbly returned home, not knowing how he would be met by his father or whether he would be welcomed back. But like God, like Jesus, his father's arms were open to receive him and no doubt ended up wrapped around his son. No matter how old this son was, his father was willing to take him back. Our Father does the same.
One time holding our first grand niece shortly after she was born, I briefly, but amazingly, experienced the love and tenderness of Jesus. As I had her held in my arms I suddenly felt like Jesus' arms were wrapped around me. I felt like I was sinking into them. There was a very good reason for that, one which I'm not ready to publicly express. Just know it was the most wonderful experience for me. So I know spiritually how it feels to have those strong, yet gentle, arms of love surround me.
Yes, baby Olivia doesn't know yet how fortunate she is to be held in those strong arms of her daddy. She doesn't yet recognize the love in her father's eyes and the tenderness of his heart toward her. But I guarantee she feels safe. I pray that she will also experience the love of her true Father, the One who knit her in her mother's womb. There are many in this world who don't recognize this kind of love our Father has for us. I'm sure I can't even grasp the magnitude of it, even after my experience above.
We are in some troubling times, although many wish to shove it aside. I truly have struggled lately with an inner turmoil that I don't believe has anything to do with me or my circumstances but waiting for "the other shoe to drop" in this world. I can only say I am thankful that I have a strong, powerful and loving Father who I can turn to, whose arms will be my refuge.
Oh, the love of our Father. His arms open wide to receive us. His arms available to gather us and to protect us whenever we need them. Yes, He will let us stray like the sheep; He will let us wallow like the prodigal son, if necessary. Yet He will take us back...or receive us for the first time because He is merciful. His arms are outstretched. What a wonderful Father we have, if we allow ourselves to find Him.
Psalm 136:12 - With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, His mercy endures forever.
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