Holding Hands

Hebrews 8:9-10 "It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

This scripture was part of my devotion reading this morning. I was struck by the phrase, "when I took them by the hand." I thought this was an awesome picture of how God leads us if we allow Him to do so. The more I thought about this image, the Lord reminded me of when I was a senior in college. I was involved in a Christian fellowship group on campus and was growing tremendously in my spiritual walk, was recently engaged, and felt very close to the Lord. One day as I walked to campus and attended my classes I could definitely feel God's presence with me in a physical way. I even could feel His touch as He held my hand. It was something I had never experienced before.

There have been other times in my life when I have been very much aware of God's presence in my life. I remember the unexplainable peace God filled me with as my husband and I watched our then five-year-old son being lifted into a helicopter to be rushed to Hershey Medical Center after he fell from his bunk bed and completely fractured his spleen. As he left we did not know if he would be alive, in surgery, or what would happen to him. But as the helicopter prepared to take off I had an overwhelming sense that no matter what happened (whether he lived or died), that God was in control and I could trust Him.

Holding hands reminds me of a small child that grasps the larger hand of their parent. They have complete trust in their caregiver. I also think about holding hands with my sweetheart. Even after almost twenty years of marriage I enjoy holding my husband's hand and know how much he loves and cares for me. As much as I love holding hands with my husband and occasionally with my sons, I want to be a woman that is holding hands with God. Holding my "Daddy's" hand requires that I place my trust in Him and allow Him to lead me. After all, He knows what is best for me and knows the direction I need to be going.

When was the last time you held hands with your Heavenly Father and allowed Him to lead you?