Safe Hands

 

...and I give eternal life to them
and they will never perish; and no
one will snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them
to Me, is greater than all, and no
one is able to snatch them out
of the Father's hand.
John 10:28-29
(NASV)

It is interesting and even fun to observe families who come to our area for vacation and how they interact with each other within their own family circles. In many cases, parents have ventured away from home with their teenage children. At first glance, I feel sorry for them, especially if they are observed in certain areas of our national park where cell phones just don't work. There's nothing like a riled up teenager who, for any reason, can't use a cell phone. There are some children, even age 8 and up who want to let the world know that they would rather be home on the couch with their electronics. They aren't used to being in the out of doors any longer than for the time they spend outside waiting on a school bus.

I love watching the young couples with very young children. Boys and girls, especially 4-8 seem fascinated by the wonder of all the park has to offer. They want to wade in every stream, hike every trail and spot any animal that walks. Young children can be seen in strollers and babies in the newest of baby back packs. All parents I've seen seem to be very safety conscious in such a big place where their children are concerned.

When our oldest child, Jennie, was only about three years of age, we came to this place on vacation. We walked on an easy paved trail with Brian holding tight to Jennie's hand. It got to be no matter where we went, Jennie's little hand was in her Daddy's big, safe hand. After a couple of days, Jennie began resisting Brian's taking hold of her hand and this was happening throughout a particular day. It dawned on me to look at Jennie's hand to see if there was a bug bite or some other irritant. The back of her little hand had places of light blue
bruising. Brian had held tightly to her hand for a couple of days and it had become sore. Brian only meant to keep Jennie safe and I'm not sure anyone could have pried her hand from his. I must say that at times in God's hand, I feel a little bruised from circumstances. I know it's probably because I struggle against the firmness of the safety and protection He provides.

Jesus was speaking in Chapter 10 of John regarding His shepherding of us and of His Father's reinforcement of that special care. I am so blessed and encouraged regarding my Heavenly Father's care of me. He doesn't just hold my hand, He holds me IN His hand and not only am I safe from the outside forces of Satan that would do me harm, but nothing or no one can remove me from God's powerful hand. If anything touches my life, it will be because for my good and God's glory, He allows it.

When we accept Jesus as personal Savior, we as much as take up residence in the hand of our Heavenly Father and nothing can change that. When I think of the word “snatch,” I think of someone who is “up to no good.” I think of thieves or criminals of some sort who often take in violent ways what doesn't belong to them. Sounds like the kind of underhanded methods Satan would use to get to us. For criminals, we have police, FBI and the National Guard if necessary to contain or control them. I must admit at times to not feel very secure about today's protection against criminal activity. However, even with all of that, my security doesn't rest with civil authorities. There is no one or nothing that can grab and snatch me from the hand of my Heavenly Father. Jesus is a part of that blessed team and thus I can rest.

We often look to world conditions and entertain feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. That is about all the world has to offer you and me. We can rest in the fact that God is boss, is in charge and is our all in all. All of our times are in His hands. He is loving and determines the path we take in our lives. If He allows pain or suffering in our lives, although we don't understand the process, He still has good and purpose as His intent all the time.

May we renew a deep appreciation within ourselves of God's loving care and security He has for us. May we not resist His care, but allow Him to REALLY be God in our lives. In His hand is the safest place we can be.

Thank You Father, for loving us so much that You want to keep us near to Yourself. Thank You for being in control of our lives and of the paths yu want us to take. In Jesus' precious name...Amen.

Engraved Hands

Behold, I have inscribed you on
the palms of My hands; your walls
are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:16 (NASV)

In the above verse, God was speaking to a concerned people who were about to be taken into captivity. Although this event was inevitable, God wanted His people to have His assurance that they would not be forgotten by Him no matter where they went or in whatever dire circumstances they found themselves. His promise to the people of Jerusalem was so in depth, He promised to engrave them on the palms of His hands. Just seeing the walls of that city so precious to Him would be a reminder of His love for that city and it's people. How this engraving was accomplished, we don't know and don't have to know. God said he had done it and it was done.

All of us have seen things that are engraved. Engraving means to deeply impress into something or to carve into something. If we want to be a little sober, we have all seen grave stones, most of which have engravings of some sort. Such markers used to all be gray in color, but now can be black and light burgundy. They've become more decorative than ever before. However they are done, the engravings are deep enough into the stone to never wear off.

Some couples choose to have certain things engraved into their wedding rings...dates, Bible verses or brief words of endearment. Other types of jewelry may have engravings on them...watches, lockets, baby gifts and wedding items. It's all done to add extra sentiment to the article in honor of an event in people's lives.

There are people in our day, who for their own reasons, choose to have tattoos applied to their skin in various of areas of their bodies. The Bible speaks against it in the Old Testament, but it's almost become a fad. We are told that a tattoo is next to impossible to have removed. It can be done, but usually with great scarring resulting. So in a sense, even the scarring will be a reminder to a person of what was once present.

No matter the items, engravings are meant to inform (send a message), meant to last and meant to remind. As I type, I look at the back of my right hand and see an almost y-shaped scar. I remember the day my hand was injured by the front paw of a very loveable dog. I was making a home visit as casemanager to a foster home. Their big dog greeted me with a stand-up greeting with paws on my shoulders. When reprimanded by the lady of the house, the dog slid down to the floor but in the process, his left front paw tore deep scratches into the back of my right hand. My hand began to protest in red, if you know what I mean. I went to a sink, washed it and then dried it with some pressure with paper towels. The foster mom retrieved the medical gear she was required to keep in the home and doctored my hand. For weeks, the back of my hand was an ugly and sore reminder of what happened that day. As time passed though, when healing had taken place, I still had and have to this day a reminder of that day and of that loveable dog who greeted me with great doggie exuberance.

When I look at the scar on my hand, I think of God's engraving the people and city of Jerusalem on the palms of His hands. He didn't need a reminder of them as He would never forget them as He never forgets us. For God, it was a loving gesture. When the people of Jerusalem were taken into captivity, it could echo in their ears when God said, “Look, I have engraved you on the palm of my hand.” Their captivity was inevitable, but so was the love and presence of God.

Two things cross my mind at this point. Any kind of engraving is permanent. To try to remove such only creates a mess. God has chosen to permanently engrave His people on the palms of His hands. Thus, He considers our relationship with Him to be as permanent as possible. I'm also reminded that such a thing should indicate for me personally that I'm a part of a great relationship with God beyond explaining or understanding.

The main thing we must not forget is that Jesus also bears marks on his hands...scars. His scars are a result of what He did for us on the cross. Jesus doesn't have to be reminded of what He did for us that day. However, those scars should remind us of His love and provision for a wonderful relationship with Him while on this earth as well as the surety of a home in Heaven when at the end of life, when we step out into Eternity. We are a blessed people.

Thank You Father, for loving me so much. You wear me on your hands as a new parent bearing baby pictures for the world to see. You love me so much more than any new parent, close friend or favorite pet. Thank You for being You. I love You so much...In Jesus name...Amen

Celebrate Life!!

Many sacrifices were offered on that
joyous day, for God had given the people
cause for great joy. The women and
children also participated in the celebration,
and the joy of the people of Jerusalem
could be heard far away.
Nehemiah 12:43

God's people certainly had their faults and did their share in disappointing their God of love and of great patience. Despite all of the tribulation and ups/downs of life, the people of Israel certainly knew how to have a party to celebrate God. Why? God had given the people cause for great joy. He has done the very same for you and me as well.

My least desire in writing is to be morbid in any way, but have actually been thinking in a positive, celebratory fashion so hang in with me. When I was in high school, I learned from a conversation my Mother and grandmother were having that folks age 50 and older usually make a habit of reading obituaries in the local newspapers. They often read the obituaries of people they had never known. I found that very strange, but both ladies assured me that when I reached their ages, I would do the same thing. I can't say I have adopted that habit and yet, every now and then, I can't resist taking a peek at our local newspaper's obituary column. We are still new in the area so I very rarely know anyone listed who has died.

On rare occasions, when reading obituaries, I come across one or two that are unbelievably positive and encouraging. Usually with such articles, I see a simple phrase that tells me a lot about the deceased. It might say, “On Tuesday morning, 10:00 at such and such a church, we will CELEBRATE THE LIFE of.......”

“Celebrate the life of...”- - -a phrase used in some obituaries and a good place for it if a person has lived a life that can be celebrated. The article almost always mentions the person, now in Heaven and all he/she did in serving the Lord in church or other places. Perhaps it's my age or life experiences that gives me pause when I see that phrase. What I have wondered about myself or about you who read these words of mine is why must we wait until our funeral for others to celebrate our lives if they would choose to do that.

No matter our stage of life, we all, at times, tend to look back...to remember, reminisce, ponder the past or revisit...whatever we choose to call it. Unfortunately, our nature is to look back at the negatives, mistakes, disappointments and failures. Perhaps we have been through times of great sin or straying from the Lord that brings only thoughts of conviction and letting the Lord down. We can all look back, spending hours chastising ourselves for letting down family, friends and yes, God Himself.

We've almost programmed our minds when recalling past events, to only think in negative terms. I'm wondering if that doesn't reveal a certain amount of ingratitude to God who has been so very good to us through the years, good to us beyond anything we could have ever deserved. There are times I can work myself up into a good crying spell as I think of the times I wasn't the best wife and mom. I've wasted time I could have spent in God's Word. Too often, I spoke ill of other people when I should have simply kept my mouth shut. My list could go on and on...

BUT...

God has been far too good in my life to allow Satan to feed my mind with the negatives I can no longer do anything about....negatives I long ago took to God's throne of grace where they have been placed under the blood of Christ.

SO...

I am choosing to celebrate some things from my life I can rejoice over, not because of any good in me, but because of God's goodness toward me. I will include all of us in these things because of many of these events we share in common.

*Our day of salvation...remember that new-born feeling?
*Receiving my first Bible
*Vacation Bible Schools and past Sunday school teachers/pastors
*Best friends through the years.
*Graduations
*Engagement and wedding
*Children coming into the home
*Job promotion
*Church homes
*Winning folks to Christ
*Special times in the Word of God

*Opportunities of serving the Lord

I could go on and on just as you could as well. I realize that thrown in with the good, there are the ugly things squeezed in between. It is then we make a choice as to what we choose to dwell on. In Philippians 4:8, Paul charged us as to what we should think about and he puts no time restraints on this positive thinking. He says to think things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good report and anything worthy of praise. This refers to our thinking not just in the present but also from our past.

So....what does it mean to celebrate?
Celebrating is openly acknowledging a significant or happy day or event with a party or festive activity.

Can we not celebrate all of those wonderful, positive things God has done in our lives and leave all of the old garbage out of our thinking? Few people agree to attend pity parties. When all we can pull up are negative things in our lives, I believe we are being very ungrateful toward a generous and loving Father. We don't have to throw some kind of party, but we have so much to celebrate because of Him. I'm not ready to send out any invitations to a party, but think for now, I'll go into the kitchen, pour me a fresh diet Coke and just smile awhile.

Father, right now I celebrate You and all you have meant to me through the years. You have forgiven me, blessed and loved me when I least deserved it. I thank You for Jesus and Your Holy Spirit. You are my wonder and my life. I love You. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

Always the Shepherd

My sheep hear my voice, and
I know them, and they follow me.
And I give eternal life to them,
and they will never perish;
and no one will snatch them
out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them
to Me, is greater than all and
no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father's hand.
John 10:27-29

The human voice is a powerful thing. Parents hang on with great hope, listening for their baby's first word. Will she say “Da-da” first or will he utter “Ma-ma” as his first word. In all probability, most babies will come up with “Da-da” first for two reasons. “Da-da” is easier for a baby to say in beginning stages. The second reason is that most mothers coach a baby to say “Da-da.” The spoken word is how God created human beings to communicate. Voices are heard in hundreds of languages. We often enjoy concerts where beautiful singing is enjoyed. We have been orally taught all the way through our education process. Pastors preach to us and Bible teachers instruct us in the things of God's Word. The voice is indeed a miraculous function of the human body.

When problems arise with one's voice, there is a concern. Most of us have had sore throats resulting in laryngitis. I had a dear friend with a beautiful singing voice who had to take a rest from singing because of nodes on her vocal chords. Voices can be lost to throat cancer. We can be grateful that the voice of our Shepherd is never silenced under any circumstances as He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

We become familiar with voices. Any one of my children can call me on the phone. From their first hello, I don't have to wonder which of my children is on the phone. He or she doesn't have to give me their name. I know from years with my children the sound and inflection of each voice. I was often told that, on the phone, my sister Kay and I sounded very much alike. When I visited her home and she asked me at times to answer the phone, her friend on the other end would usually go ahead and begin a conversation until I could notify the friend that I wasn't Kay. Under the usual circumstances, voices we recognize have become familiar through close and ongoing relationships of some kind.

Many years ago, I visited a sheep ranch with some friends. That first morning, looking out a window, the hillside looked solid white as there were hundreds of sheep. We went out and observed the splitting up of the sheep as they were taken out to pasture. There were several individual groups of sheep in the main flock, each with their own shepherd. The shepherd of his flock generally rode in a glorified golf cart with a couple of sheep dogs following. Each shepherd would call to his own flock. Suddenly there would be movement in the huge flock, with sheep separating themselves to follow the departing shepherd. One shepherd began to whistle and after that another began to softly sing a song. Each flock moved right to its shepherd...why? The sheep knew the voice of their shepherd.

Jesus says in the above verse that in our relationship with Him, we hear His voice. That's not going to happen if we aren't in relationship with Him to begin with. There is then instant recognition and with that recognition, we in turn follow Him...no questions asked...followership to the highest degree. If we are anything like real sheep, it means we won't follow any person or theory Satan has to offer. We will respond to and follow only our own personal Shepherd.

The next verse lists the benefits of this relationship with our Shepherd. He promises His sheep eternal life, they will never perish and no one can pluck those sheep out of His hand. Shepherds are very protective. If need be, they will die for the sake of the sheep in His care.
We are sheep that belongs to Jesus' flock. He not only died to provide for us to utmost of protection and care but will do so right into Eternity.

Our Shepherd knows our voice any time we call to Him. It is pitiful though if we fail to recognize His voice when He speaks to our spirits through His Word or just in quiet moments of meditation an prayer. His voice is the only spiritual leadership we hear. There is a world calling out to you and me with it's culture, theories and powerful suggestions. Those voices shouldn't even be recognizable to us. His voice and guidance should be all we heed. Like those sheep on that Colorado hillside who heard a familiar voice bidding them to go to their shepherd, who responded immediately and without hesitation, can we do any less.

We can be grateful that we have the Shepherd we do and that His love is unconditional and ongoing. We also must know that Satan can never remove us from the hand of God...where no one can “snatch us” from His hand and where we find rest.

Thank You Father, for holding me close to Yourself. You have given me eternal life and I'm so grateful for that fact. Help me to stay so close to You that Your voice is immediately recognized in my own spirit. I praise You today for who You are in my life. In Jesus name...Amen