Devotional blog 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

This last week we celebrated our beautiful Granddaughter’s first birthday. It was a special time, full of love and full of fun. Naturally I love my grandchildren, and love being with them, and I love what they keep teaching me. Any of you who have read my posts over the last few months will know that God often uses my relationship with my grandchildren to teach me about Himself, and myself, and how we relate to each other.

Photo of a birthday cake with white icing and flowers and a sign saying 'One'. The cake is sitting on a table covered with a white tablecloth, and is surrounded by vases of flowers and plates of cakes.

FIGHTING THE EMBRACE

My little granddaughter is different to our grandson. She is much more timid, and wary. Because her Mummy didn’t go back to work after having her, she has spent less time with us, and she is not so happy to leave her Mummy and come to me. We are working on that, and we have had some lovely play times together, but Mummy is never too far away. That does mean that Mummy doesn’t get much opportunity to do some of the things she loves doing, without her little limpet.

On Sundays though, Nanna has to help out, as Mummy is part of the worship band and loves to sing. So Nanna takes the limpet away from Mummy and much crying ensues. But I have worked out that if I hold her very tightly across my chest, with her hands held firmly and tightly, as she struggles. And once I have her held, if I walk up and down, and sing, eventually she will give up and give in to sleep. (I do take her out of the main church sanctuary and into a side room!) We have usually timed it so that Mummy has fed her and she is ready for a nap.

HELD BY LOVING ARMS

Last week she fell asleep in my arms like this. I love it, even though it is a bit of a fight, at least I get to hold her. And while I am holding her, I am whispering to her that I love her, and that she is safe with me, and that she doesn’t have to be upset. And I am praying that she would realise how much I love her and begin to trust me more, so that she wants to come to me and stay with me. And that Mummy can have more time to herself.

A few days later in my time with God He reminded me of this, and this is what I felt Him say to me,

Sometimes you are like that with me, Joy. You refuse to let me just hold you and love you. You let fear and doubt get in, and you might even feel like you can’t trust me. I tell you that I love you, and that you are safe with me, and yet still you fight against my embrace. You want to push away from Me, not realising that I love you just as you are. My safe strong arms are just there to hold you, and my heart sings over you. If you would just give in and trust me, then you can rest, and we can enjoy just being together. We might even have fun!

LET LOVE HOLD US

I knew Just what God was saying. He has promised to always hold us, to care for us, to protect us, but He also wants something of us in return. He wants our complete trust, our willingness to surrender ourselves into His arms, to trust His ways as being best for us. Sometimes our fears, anxiety and even doubts can make us fight against His loving arms. When all He wants is for us to relax and let Him hold us. We can forget how much He loves us, forget how much we need Him, think we’d be better off without Him. We even think that the mistakes we make put Him off.

Image of a small child being held in a woman's arms — Photo courtesy of Canva

But He has promised to never leave or forsake us, whatever we do (Hebrews 13:5). He has promised to carry us close to His heart (Isaiah 40:11). His arms are everlasting, strong and constant (Deuteronomy 33:27). He loves us and wants us to trust ourselves to Him, just as a small child trusts their mother (Psalm 131:2). Or in my case, their grandmother!

And He wants us not to fight against the powerful, all sufficient, never-ending Love that holds us.