Christian blogger Archives - Page 2 of 2

Holding On

I have two grandchildren and they are a delight. Not that I am biased in any way! My grandson is 3 now and quite the little chatterbox. He is bright, and imaginative and sweet natured (most of the time). My granddaughter is just over a year old, and is already developing her own, very different character. She gives you such a hard stare at times it makes you want to crumple. I think she’s going to be a feisty one!

She is trying to walk now and wants to be on her feet all the time. She stands and takes tentative steps holding onto things, but has not yet been brave enough to try to walk on her own unaided. When she wants to move from one spot to another, instead of crawling, she will look around for someone she trusts and hold out her hand. If one of us responds to her, offering her our hand, she will use it to steady herself as she stands and then will walk with you to where she wants to go. She doesn’t walk anywhere without holding on to the hand of someone stronger and steadier than herself.

Photo of two small children watching Tv. The smaller one is kneeling with his arm supporting the smaller one who is standing leaning on the TV cabinet.

His Hand

It made me think of how I am with God. I know He is there, and I know He is infinitely stronger than me. He loves me unconditionally and I can trust Him fully. His wisdom is unsearchable. His guidance, His understanding and His protection are there for my safety. I know all this and yet sometimes I forge ahead in life, without waiting to take a hold of His hand first.

His hand offers me strength but is also is there to direct me. If I am walking close to Him, close enough to hold onto Him, then I will not stumble, fall or step off the path that He wants me to walk on. As the song says ‘He will hold me fast’.[1]

When I am feeling unsteady, weak, vulnerable, unsure of myself, it is perhaps natural to hold out my hand to God and ask Him to help me. But what about when I am doing well? When I feel confident, strong, in control? I wonder even in those times if God is still waiting patiently for me to reach out a trusting hand. How often have I set out on a path, without thinking of reaching out for Him first?

Close enough to Hold His Hand

There will come a day, very soon probably, when my granddaughter will find she can take steps on her own. When she will stop looking for a hand to hold on to. We call it growing up. We will applaud and celebrate it as an important milestone in her development.

But didn’t Jesus ask us to have child-like faith?[2] The faith that trusts without question in the one we know loves us. The kind of faith that knows we can’t walk through life on our own without risk of falling, or being led astray. His hand is strong enough for us to hold on to in every season, good and bad. He desires that intimacy, that connection.

And I need to remember that I am better walking close enough with Him that His hand is always within easy reach of mine.

Phot depicting an adult man's hand with a small child holding onto his finger.

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021.

‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, ‘The Bride‘, published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated‘ was published in September 2023.

More information on Joy, and her books can be found here

[1] Keith and Kristin Getty, ‘He will hold me fast’

[2] Matthew 18:2-4

In church a couple of weeks ago we were looking at the story of Nehemiah. One of the things that stood out to me was how used to talking to God Nehemiah was.

TURNING TO GOD

Nehemiah turned to God when his heart broke at the news from Jerusalem, of broken walls and broken people. He fasts and prays and pours out his heart to God (Neh 1:4-10). But he doesn’t restrict Himself to praying in the secret place. He has to stand before the great King Artaxerxes, one of the most powerful and feared of the Persian kings, knowing that to voice the reason for his sadness might cost him his life. But the King listens to him, and then remarkably asks what he can do to help. And Nehemiah prays. This isn’t a long and eloquent prayer, it is not recorded what he even says. It was most likely a heart whisper – ‘Help me, Lord. Give me favour. Tell me what to say’.

Then the king said to me, “What do you request?”

So I prayed to the God of heaven. Neh 2:4

Image is a painting of Nehemiah the cupbearer standing before a King on a throne

THE S.O.S. PRAYER

Nehemiah was a man of prayer. He knew God would hear him and help him. And He did.

I wonder if you have found yourself in the situation where all you could do was pray? Send up an S.O.S. emergency call to God. Perhaps you have found yourself in the place of fear, anxiety or overwhelm? Perhaps someone has asked you a question about your faith and you don’t know how to answer. Jesus definitely promised help on that one Mark 13:11). I have been in that place, many times. When time is short, and I can’t get on my knees, can’t even voice a prayer out loud, but know that I God will hear my S.O.S.

THE SHOPPING TROLLEY

Sarah* is a friend of mine and told us a great story recently. She had taken her elderly mother to a supermarket to get some groceries. As they entered the store they encountered two men who were facing off. Both were angry and vile words were being exchanged. Aggression hung in the air, and the situation looked likely to escalate into physical violence at any point. Shoppers hurriedly gave them a wide berth and security was called for. But Sarah decided to do something. She prayed in the Spirit. And then, she told us, something came over her and she did something she would never had courage to do in and of herself. She took her shopping trolley and headed straight for the warring couple. With polite cries of ‘excuse me, coming through’ she literally pushed her trolley between the two men. Shocked at her audacity, the men jumped apart from each other, and were dragged away by their wives. By the time store security arrived the two men had walked away from the confrontation. Sarah said she had initially thought about trying to talk them down, but realised afterwards that she might have put herself in danger in doing so. Instead, she prayed, and God gave her another strategy. Distraction tactics.

Photographic image of a shopping trolley and supermarket shelves — Image courtesy of Canva

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

I loved this story. I love my times of alone prayer with God, but I wonder how often I miss the opportunity to make a difference in the world around me, by not just praying those quick ‘what shall I do?’ or ’help me!’ prayers. I would love to be continually in communication with my Father in heaven, but life gets in the way. He understands. It is a comfort to know that He is just a prayer away, and that He hears, even our rapid heart cries, when we need His help for ourselves. But inspired by Sarah, and by Nehemiah, I am going to try to be more intentional to use my S.O.S. prayers to make a difference in others lives too.

*not her real name