That’s right. Because I, your God,
have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go.
I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic.
I’m right here to help you’ (Isaiah 41:13 MSG)
Do you tend to think of God as impersonal or distant? Do you ever wonder if God can be in the middle of what you are going through today?
“I, your God have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go.” What great reassurance! Our God is right here with us, not far off or detached.
God has a firm grip on us
I love the image of God being close enough to have a secure grasp on me. This image gives me strength and helps counter my fears. “Don’t panic, I’m right here to help you.”
A big theological word that describes God’s closeness is the word immanent-God is near, knowable and perceivable. The Sovereign Lord of the universe is with us in the nitty-gritty of everyday life. We are promised that God will never leave us or abandon us.
Days can be full of turmoil, confusion and grief but we will not slid out of God’s divine hold. Regardless of our changing circumstances and feelings, God still grips us. Grief can be like a roller-coaster with ups and downs, but God is constant with love, care and protection.
Roller coaster of grief
A favorite quote of mine is from Shannon Bream when she talked about Hannah grief in not having a child in 1 Samuel chapter one.
“One of the most comforting things about God is that He is always there awaiting our prayers, even when we can’t find the words to express our deepest grief. Sometimes our hurts are so delicate and raw that we don’t have the strength to share that level of vulnerability with another human being. God already knows the deepest recesses of our heart, so going to Him only ushers us into the safest of all possible places we can be.” Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today.
Divine hold
Hold on to the reassuring promise that God is holding on to you.
God’s got you.
Prayer:
Dear Ever-present God,
Thank you for you faithful love that never lets us go.. Give us hope, comfort and vision that we are in your hands, held firmly in your grip. Encourage us love and protection.
Amen
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