Comfort in God's Arms

On a trip to the city of Shreveport, we had the opportunity to have some much deserved time as husband and wife. It always seemed that things were so busy at home that we never got any peace, hence the out-of town trip. We had been able to enjoy the evening so much that the time had gotten away from us. It wasn’t until 1:00 AM that we realized we had missed dinner. We found a restaurant near the hotel lobby and waited our turn for a table.

While we were waiting there was time to look at the surroundings. On a large wall of the hotel there was a complete exhibit of African cichlids swimming in an environment much like the natural habitat of Lake Malawi. It was peaceful to just watch the movement of the fish and to look for the baby fish hiding in the rocks and crevices. Since we have a tank of African cichlids at home I enjoyed the view even more.

In a separate area near the restaurant was a band. The guitar, bass guitar and drums resonated in the hallways. The lead singer was a young girl about twenty-four. Three young men played on the instruments. Several people were mingling and appeared to be having fun, butt for me, it was just too loud and noisy. I simply wanted to find a spot away from the night life that attracted so many people.

In the area to the right of the restaurant were a series of boutique shops that lined the hallway to the elevator that opened out to the parking garage. I turned my head to my immediate right and noticed a table of young people. The boys were wearing white tuxedos and the girls had a palette of spring color prom dresses. Everyone was laughing and enjoying the evening. What caught my attention and left a memory in my mind was the couple sitting near the back of the table. The young man looked very stylish and debonair in his white tuxedo and his date was wearing a burgundy gown with a beaded top. What I noticed most about this young lady was that she had her head resting on her date’s shoulder and her eyes were closed. I’m sure that she must have had a busy evening and a wonderful time, or at least I would like to think so, but now there was a peaceful look on her face, a look of contentment and happiness.

The scene kept my attention. It made me think of God and the way I need to rest in Him. I’m usually going in so many directions that I seldom take time to rest and let God take all the cares and worries of this world on His shoulder. This was particularly true of the time period when my children were in school. I taught in a Christian school and had four boys at home all of which had homework and wanted to be in sports. Eventually I burned out and had to take a break to rest and renew my physical body. I was trying too hard to be a super mom rather than let God have complete control of my life and its direction. If I give Him control of my life, then I can rest peacefully in his arms. I have no reason to fear or be anxious.

For some people it is easy to think of God wrapping His arms around us and holding us protectively against the problems of our world. For me it wasn’t so easy since the home environment was one that didn’t openly show love and affection. I seldom saw love expressed with a hug or kiss and at times I lived in fear of an angry parent punishing me

John 3:16 is a key verse that I need to remember. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s gift to the world was His son. No one can really experience the pain that God must have felt while he watched His son take the sins of the world upon His shoulders, but a love like that only comes once in a lifetime. Since He gave so much I should trust Him completely. When I give Him complete control of my life, I can rest my head on His shoulders, take comfort in His arms and be at peace. I don’t have to run around feverishly trying to accomplish something. I won’t feel exhausted and worn out but I will be at peace with God knowing that He cares for me.

Burdens or Blessings

Q. How do you handle life's problems? Are events blessings or burdens and how that does that relate to how others see you? Do you try to witness to others during this time?

My one aim in life is to have others see Christ in me. This means being consistent in everything I do and willing to apologize to others if I slip up and do something that is not Christ-like. I have to realize that my life is a microscope that others are watching even when I don’t know about it.

Blessings and burdens are part of our Christian life. The blessings are the wonderful ways that God answers our prayers. Often they come after a period of trials that have tested my ability to put all things into the control of Christ. Receiving money to pay bills that are due, having a family member recover from a serious sickness, and safety on the highway during long trips are just a few of the ways that God shows me His face.

For me, during the really rough times I seek out someone who is a sincere Christian so that I can talk through things. The person I choose has to be someone who can keep confidences and will pray with me while the problem exists. Others may notice that I am quieter during these times and wonder what is going on. If I can keep a calm outward look even though I am struggling inwardly others will notice and realize that there is a difference in my life. When that happens, I can share Christ with them. To say that I always turn my problems over to the Lord is to deny that I am human. I make mistakes but problem-solving is in God’s hands.

Whether my life is going through a period when I am struggling with problems or a time when I am receiving blessings, I should be assured that Christ is always by my side. That needs to be my one constant part of life, security in Christ. Hopefully others will see Him in me through both the bad and good times.