Do you know the Beatles' song: "I want to hold your hand"

Nov 8^th  (342 words)

“I want to hold your hand” (x3).  It’s a Beatles song that makes me think of two teenagers who have a happy-sort-of-like for one another.  We sang it in a nursing home for one of the people there.  It fit in well with our goal of singing familiar songs that bring a little light and happiness to the place. 

This image is also a mental picture I use often in my imagination with God.  I heard a teacher once talk about walking in dependence on God – and teaching that it is like a little child holding the hand of their parent – letting their father lead them and provide for them and protect them.  This is a powerful image when facing uncertain days!

Uncertainty can be a debilitating condition… caught between two possibilities – frozen in the headlights and not knowing whether to go to the right or the left.  And reality rumbles on toward you… threatening and loud.

But we hold the hand of our father who leads us.  This morning God gave me Isaiah 41:13: “For I, the LORD your God hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’”

We don’t need to fearfully ignore tragedy around us (burying our head in the sand).  I’m not sure how many people in our society can actually do this.

We don’t need to try to find our own salvation – saying: “God helps those who help themselves.”  This can easily be an excuse for independent individuality.

We don’t need to stay stuck in our situation saying: “There is nothing else to do…”  This is another form of independent individuality – where we walk with blinders on, limiting our vision.

Instead, we can walk hand-in-hand with God as he leads us.  This image is good for the mega decisions as well as the mini situations we face every day.

Thanks God.  "I want to hold your ha -  -  - nd" (3x).  Take us by the hand.  Your hands are warm and inviting.