He Carried Me To The Other Side

This week I saw a picture of a father playing with his little girl.  At one point he lifted her over his shoulders and onto the back of his neck,  her little legs dangling, her hands wrapped around his forehead.  The father had his hands securely holding her legs so she would not fall.

Seeing this scene shot me back decades!  My family and I were living in Illinois.  I remember that we often went to a park.  There were swings in the clearing which was surrounded by trees.  Behind the line of trees there was a stream with the coldest water.  I loved walking alongside the stream, throwing little sticks and rocks into the water, watching the splashes.

My Dad came up beside me and said, “Want to go to the other side?”  I remember thinking that there was no way to get to the other side.  It was so wide!  Of course, it was only wide to my seven year old eyes.  My Dad reached down and lifted me above his shoulders.   I placed my hands on his forehead and hung on tight!  I was scared but at the same time I wanted to go to the other side of the stream.

All of a sudden, with one long stride and a hop, we were on the other side !  That was so exhilarating to me!  I felt like I had glided over an impassable body of water on the wings of a giant eagle!  What fun!  When it came time to cross back over, I jumped into my Dad’s arms, ever so ready and eager for him to put him on his shoulders; together we would fly across the stream, safe and happy.

Often in our lives there are obstacles that hinder us from getting where we want to go.  Things seem impassable.  Fear and frustration takes root.  Everything we try doesn’t get us anywhere.  What can we do?

Let’s remember that as we travel along our life’s road, there is someone who has already mapped out the route.  He knows the best way.  He loves to see us happy and peaceful.  Our timing isn’t perfect, but our heavenly Father’s timing is never too early or too late.  He’s always on time.  There is no obstacle that He cannot cross over.  There is nothing impassable that He cannot lift us up and take us over — in His perfect time.

“Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so He spread His wings to take them up and carried them safely on His pinions.”  Deuteronomy 32:11