Everlasting Arms

Our dog, Jack, and I were taking a walk the other day when I noticed a father and his little girl just ahead of us. She looked to be about 3 or 4 years old. Her Dad would lift her up and throw her into the air amidst squeals of delight. Then he would swing her from side to side. More happy squeals followed. Once as they were walking along, her hand securely in her Dad’s, they came to a large muddy patch of ground. The little girl stopped, looking at the huge gooey puddle of sticky mud. Suddenly her Dad’s strong and unfailing hands went beneath her arms and swung her over the ominous mud pool, setting her down on solid ground. Watching the father’s care of his little girl was a delight. The image it brought to my mind was also a joy.

Our Heavenly Father does the same thing for us. We read in Deuteronomy 33:27, The eternal God is your refuge, and His everlasting arms are under you (NLT). Everlasting, eternal, never ending, always there. When we feel afraid to cross muddy pools of the unknown, Father is there to lift us over, filling us with His peace. When we slip down succumbing to temptations that we should avoid, Father’s arms are there to hug us in forgiveness, setting us down again on the solid ground of His grace to walk forward. When grief seeks to suck away all joy, Father’s arms are there to lift us from sorrow, holding us close as He breathes comfort into our hurting hearts.

It is impossible for us to fall so low in sin, fear, grief or weakness, that His arms are not there to lift us up closer to Himself, offering protection from everything of this world that seeks to destroy our trust in our Father. He is omnipresent. His arms are always with us, lifting, hugging, soothing, being our strength, our comfort, our constant support. He never leaves us. Nothing will make Him ever forsake us. He is stronger than anything else of this world.

What joy! Whatever you are facing today, your Father’s arms are supporting you, today and tomorrow, just as He has always done in every yesterday. I’m now humming that lovely hymn,” Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.”