In His Grip
2009 May 31
“He tends the flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11
“I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Isaiah 66: 12-13
“Often I have thought there should be – for grown up people – some place where they could go – when badly hurt – and find the same kind of assurance that a little child experiences in his mother’s arms.” from The Robe
Today I simply pray that God gathers you in His arms … dandles you on His knee … so your heart can be assured. You are in His grip.
Good verses that my heart needed to hear. After the events of the day, crawling up in God’s lap and feeling His arms tight around me is the exact thing that I need.
GLAD SOME OF THAT IS BEHIND … HOPEFULLY THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE BETTER.
My son worked in a children’s home. It was one of those that accepted children in crises. There were many very sad, very hard cases. One of the things my son was trained to do was to “restrain” a child…to do this without harming the child and without permitting him/her to harm you or anyone else. He described to me the challenge of restraining an older child who was in a tantrum. They might spit on him…curse him…struggle with all their strength to get free. But he just held on for their own good. During a restraint, minutes would seem like hours. And the time could stretch into a half hour or an hour or more, as I recall. There were tears. You can imagine the perspiration running. But eventually, even the strongest willed child, gave up. A restraint didn’t feel or look like love. But it was!
How long my Lord held me in His grip with me struggling against Him! He held on. I kept struggling. He took all the abuse I heaped upon Him, including the curses and the spittle and the threats. But He wouldn’t let go.
Now, think of this, if He wouldn’t let go in the years of my rebellion, is He likely to cast me off into the deep now…now that in my heart what I want to do is to love Him back…to honor Him…to serve Him truly? Though we fail Him still…it isn’t out of stubborn rebellion, is it? He Who knows all things knows that’s so.
Praise His Name for His restraint of us…that He had a grip on us somewhere in our hearts that we didn’t even acknowledge or want. But He held on. And now we know that what we thought was torture was actually love holding on to us and waiting for our eyes to change…waiting to see that look from us that revealed another victory of love. What a blessing to be in His grip.
I HAD NOT BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT PERSPECTIVE WHEN I WROTE THIS, BUT IT IS SO GOOD TO BE REMINDED THAT HE’S ALWAYS HOLDING ME WITH LOVE. WHETHER IT’S TO KEEP ME FROM DOING SOMETHING THAT WILL HURT ME … OR COMFORTING ME AFTER THE HURT … THE INTENTION IS TO SHOW HIS LOVE.
I ONLY HAD TO REALLY RESTRAIN A BOY ONCE WHEN I WAS TEACHING. I HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY AND SO I JUST RELIED ON INSTINCT AND MY KNOWLEDGE OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. IT WAS HORRIBLE … AND EXHAUSTING. I WORE DOWN WAY BEFORE HE EVER DID. I STILL THINK OF THAT POOR BOY … SO ANGRY AND HARD. I WANTED SO BADLY TO GET THROUGH TO HIM AND SHOW HIM THAT I WASN’T THERE TO MAKE HIM MISERABLE … BUT I NEVER DID.
I NEEDED TO BE REMINDED THAT GOD DOESN’T DO THINGS TO MAKE ME MISERABLE EITHER … HE’S JUST LOVING ME DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WANT. I HAVE TO TRUST THAT IT’S ALWAYS BEST AND ALWAYS FOR MY OWN GOOD.
THANKS, ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE NEW PERSPECTIVE.