Day 4

I remember years ago when our daughter Bethany was just 2, and we were at a church conference in Indianapolis. The conference was being held in a large hotel that had a play area for the children in an open place where parents could watch. One of the pieces of recreation equipment there was a swinging gate. If you are not familiar with the gate, it has the appearance of a wooden gate that might be located in a fence that you would walk through. There is a wooden lip located at the bottom of the gate to stand on and is affixed to a steel pole that allows the gate to swing around it much like a merry go round. So the object of this fun loving apparatus is for you to stand on the lip of the gate and hold on as someone else spins it trying to catapult you into space. Unfortunately our two year old walked in front of the gate while it was spinning. When I heard her crying I immediately went after her. The impact had split her lip and loosened a tooth. As I reached for her one of the adults that had gathered around tried to stop me from picking her up, warning me I would get blood all over my suit. Needless to say I threw those warnings to the wind. I could have cared less about my suit. The only thing I knew was my little girl needed me and nothing or no one was going to keep me from her. As I held her in my arms, and she lay her head on my shoulder, it wasn't long until her tears began to subside. Why?

Because she knew arms that loved her now held her and everything would be alright. We could learn a lot from a child. Learn how to trust the hands of our Father. I hope you understand I am referring to our Heavenly Father, for His hands will never harm you, but are there to keep and comfort you. God didn't promise that pain would not enter your life, but he did promise you will never have to face it alone. So let Him hold you today, lay your head on His shoulder and remember, weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning, as you wake to a new day in the loving arms of your Father.

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 18:2-3

..."I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:20