My daughter (14) had a really good illustration and I want to share it with you.
Asleep!
“Our everyday lives are full of biblical illustrations. Just recently, my eldest brother, mom, and I went for an afternoon hike up our mountain. It is a fairly difficult hike. And to make it worse there were a lot of dead and dry pine needles on the ground. You would take a step and nearly start to slide down the hill. It took a lot of effort to make it up.
I had just stopped to rest and I began to think. I remember taking hikes life this when I was little. When we would hike I would start out hiking along beside my parents but when I felt tired or just couldn’t make it any longer, my dad would pick me up and put me on his shoulders. It was great to ride up high, I could see so much more.
Most of the time when I would ride on my dad’s shoulders I would fall asleep. At this point, I was no long grueling up some hill or down some path. I could just relax. As I had been walking it seemed that we would never get there and it took forever. But as I rode on my father’s shoulders I had no fear or worry about getting to our destination, I had trust in my father that I would get there. And the amazing part was when I would wake up from sleeping we would be there and it seemed such a short time.
Another thing that I was remembering is when we would be coming home from visiting someone. I would always fall asleep on our way home. I never sat there and worried about falling asleep, wondering how I would get in the house once we were home. But I knew I could trust my father to carry me in the house once we got there. And most of the time when I did wake up I was already in my bed. I never knew how I got there except by the faith that I had in my father to accomplish it.
What about God?
These experiences made me start to think about God and how I need to have that kind of trust in Him. No matter what situation that I am in He is always there. I can trust Him through the grueling trials or whatever comes my way. And if I can learn to trust Him as I did my earthly father, the next thing I will know is I will be on the other side of my trial or hardship and it will seem like it has been a short time. My question will be, ‘How did I make it through so quickly?’ I will not know how I have gotten through the trials except by faith in God that He has accomplished what He has promised.”
—Rebekah
Get to know Him!
How can we learn to trust God as my daughter trusted her dad? We have to come to the point that we don’t fear God. And the kind of fear I am talking about is the fear that He won’t take care of us. We have to come to the point that we trust Him fully and there is only one way. In order for us to trust anyone, we have to get to know him or her. We have to know that God has our best interest in mind and the only way that this can happen is to spend time in prayer and in His Word.
You may be saying, “That is what you always say.” And you are right. There is no other answer in life. We have to have an intimate relationship with Him. And the devil does everything in his power to keep us from spending time with God. It doesn’t matter what he can distract us with, he will distract. Often times he uses good things because we seem to be able to justify it more.
It may seem at times, as we go through difficulties that God is not there. But what we need to realize is that when we are going through our most difficult times He is carrying us, and we can rest in Him. At those times we have to claim His promises and not go by how we feel.
This is a poem that I have always loved. It really brings it home.
FOOTPRINTS
“One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:
“LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me.”
The LORD replied:
“My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson
Dear Father,
Thank You that You are always there for us. I pray that we will realize our need to stay so connected with You that You will carry us. Forgive us for getting caught up with the things of this world and neglecting time with You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Give yourself to God each day and trust His leading.
Love you all!
Do you remember being carried by your dad, whether you were hiking or being brought in from the car after a trip? What lesson can you draw from it?