Hold Me

There is nothing sweeter than a little one with arms outstretched, begging to be held and cuddled. No matter how busy, tired, or stretched thin you are, it is impossible to refuse so precious a request.

At other times, the little one in need of comfort and consolation is so distraught and insistent on clutching favored playthings that lifting, hugging, and comforting becomes impossible. Until the little one drops the stuffed animals, toy trucks, baby dolls, or the myriads of things that can fill a toddler’s tiny arms, picking up and holding doesn’t happen easily.

Once the little one is disengaged, you can pick her up, comfort her, hug her, and love her until the hurt is gone.

This can happen with adults as well, even in simple goodbyes. You’ve had lunch with sweet friends, and it’s time to say goodbye. You all stand and attempt to give or receive hugs goodbye, when suddenly everyone’s purses, bags, laptops, and doggie bags move into combat mode – making every hug awkward and sometimes even painful. It’s good for a laugh, but not the sweet and encouraging goodbyes you all hoped for.

We all need a good hug from time to time. I don’t care if you say you aren’t a hugger; there are times that even you need the reassurance that someone cares enough to give you a “good squeezy.” (That phrase belongs to my youngest son.)

And most certainly, there are times in our spiritual lives when we need the comfort and encouragement found only in our Father’s loving arms.

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” Isaiah 41:13 ESV

We turn to run to Him, but find our feet slow to move and our arms so filled with the cares of the day, the worries of tomorrow, and the many tasks calling our name, that we cannot even hold our arms out to Him.

If we stretched our arms out to God, we’d drop everything on the ground. And that would never do. Those things are ours to deal with, fix, accomplish, answer, solve, and serve. We tell ourselves, no one else can attend to those many issues as well as we can—so we hold on tightly like a child refusing to let go of playthings even if it means they cannot be comfortably, comfortingly held by a loving parent.

We miss the comfort of God’s embrace because we stubbornly hold on to what we have claimed as “ours.” Even when those claims are good, even God-honoring and God-serving, anytime our claims get in between a moment in the embrace of our God and intimate conversation with Him, those claims need to be set aside and recognized for what they are: Something “good” claiming the place of Someone “best.”

It is a trap we can easily fall into; at least, it’s a trap that I fall into too frequently. When I let myself get so busy—my arms so full of my “spiritual to-dos” that I cannot open my arms to my God’s waiting embrace. I miss out on the Best and all that that means.

• I miss out on hearing His voice speaking words of truth and encouragement in my ear and to my heart.
• I miss out on the rest and contentment that comes when I know, really know, that Almighty God holds, protects, and loves me.  
• I miss out on the confident peace and joy of knowing that when my God holds me, no force can stand against me.

When I follow His lead and His calling, He will give me the strength and capacity to do what He has asked. I don’t have to try to hold it all together in my feeble grasp—my arms can never carry everything. I can live with empty arms outstretched to the Father, because with Him all things hold together and all things, including me (and you), are held.

Mighty God. Loving Father. His arms are outstretched to you and to me. Amen.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.” Psalm 73:25-28 ESV

Friend, are your arms so full that you cannot respond to God’s call to embrace?