When my children were small I could pull them on to my lap and hold them in my arms to protect them from the hurt of the world. As they grew bigger, I could no longer hold them on my lap but I could still surround them with my arms and give them the physical and emotional comfort that they were in need of. Eventually, as they went out into the world on their own, I couldn't always reach them and hold them to make their world better.
My mother used to tell me that our children are on loan from God to raise for His glory and that when they became adults we had to give them back to Him to take care of. I have been blessed to have my children close by, for the most part. But there have been times in their adult lives, and there still are those times, that I have been too far away to comfort them with my arms. It is then that I have to remind myself, that even though I can't hold them, God can. I can know that He is close enough for them to crawl onto His lap, which is always big enough, and let Him hold them close. That He is able to do more for them than I could ever do. That he sees all, knows all and is all. He sees the beginning and the end and is far more able to give them what they need, when they need it.
That is not to say that my heart doesn't ache for my children when their hearts are broken. When I feel helpless to help them it is then that I realize I AM helpless without Him. He is the lap and the arms that I can not provide when I am far away. And He can give them something that I am not capable of. That is the hope and reassurance that He knows the beginning and the end and He is always close enough to hold them. And so, I pray.
So, dear ones, know that I am always here for you and I love you very much. If I am unable to hold you, I will hold you up to Him, the One who loves us always and forever and wants only the best for us.
Ps.121
I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forever- more. AMEN
