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And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. Jn 16:39

One night recently in a worship service, I had one of those out of the body experiences that rarely happen in my standard American physician life. I saw and felt my life since residency sweep over me. I saw my training, my bride, my children---young and grown—in joy and in pain, my missionary years, my practice, my years in ministry, my academic years---all the adventures, all the joy, long days of tears. And the one thing I felt that overwhelmed me most was the vivid discovery that God’s arms were big enough to hold it all.

We tend to go through life one day at a time, fighting our way through the pressures, dealing with the pain as it comes, experiencing the joy for the moment. There are moments within the rush of life when we realize that we are not alone, and in those moments cry out for help or a cry up word of thanks to the God who holds us in his arms. But much of life waits for scheduled times with God to thank him and ask him for help. Those of us who go to the Lord daily sometimes have a small field of focus; it is the immediate future and the recent past that comes to mind. Occasionally there may come upon us times where the whole slate of our life is posted before us in a way that takes our breath and brings our tears and squeezes our hearts. A human life in its expanse is an awesome wonder. That wonder might turn into fear or despair, were it not for the truth that the incredible content of our lives is safe with God. How ever high the highs, low the lows, deep the depths, God’s arms just sweep around them and hold them close like a mother her babe. We can continue without despair. He will not drop us.

Dear Father,
Thank you for our security in You. Let us never seek to jump from Your arms and face the world alone. Hold us back when we try. Amen.