You’re Surrounded…

Sometimes just need to be held? I know, me too. My seven month old grandson too. He’ll play, then turn and see me, and crawl right up lifting little arms.

Bet God wishes that’s what we would do – when we wonder what to do next, how things are going to work out, who to turn to. Arms open wide – but we crawl on. “For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.” (Psalm 40:12 NIV)

A broken world, heavy with sins of selfishness, meets us on the news and sometimes face to face. And yes, it will be this way until Jesus returns. But, like a seven month old, we can turn to the One who picks us up, brushes us off, and sets back on the path. Like learning to walk, we stumble, but with the Holy Spirit we try again. “You hem me in – behind and before; You have laid your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139:5 NIV)

We put up baby gates at just about every entrance we can think of around here, still little one finds a way to konk his head or get mad when he can’t get where he wants to go. Oh yeah, that sounds like me, you? ‘This way, Paris’ His Word leads me, shows me. Still I turn and say ‘But what about this way?’ When the answer is ‘no’ – pouts abound.

Oh, Father, You still love us?? “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1John 4:10 NIV)

Today, chubby arms will reach up, and a tired back will reach down and swoop him high. Today we will yell at the guy cutting us off in traffic. We will plead ‘why’ about the diagnosis. We will worry about the dwindling bank account. And in those moments where we take our eyes off the fear and put them on the Father, He will swoop us up and we will know — “You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Psalm 32:7 NIV) Lift those arms up – you are surrounded.