As a very small boy I remember my PaPa’s hands reaching down and pulling me up to sit in his lap, where there were all kinds of fun games to play. Sometimes he would let me count the change in his plastic football-shaped change purse. Then on other occasions he would let me play with his keys. And if he were in an especially jolly mood he might show me how he could take his teeth out and hold them in his hands. Sometimes we just had the best conversations, just between the two of us, laughing and giggling together, and talking about anything we wanted to discuss. Whatever we were doing together, he was looking down with great big sparkling eyes filled with love and assurance. I knew when I was in his lap, all was good and I could just relax and have a really good time.
Then as I grew up and became too big sit in anyone’s lap, I found out over and over, whether I was in school, at home, with my family, my friends or even among strangers; God was always ready to pick me up and let me sit in His lap. And He and I had even better times together when He would show me special people He had made and the wonderful, loving, amazing things He accomplished through them. Or He might show me all the beauties in nature He had created. Or we could have the best conversations ever about Jesus and the forgiveness and brand new life He offered. These have been the times I turned to Him in prayer with my heart and mind as wide-open to Him and His love, as I had been when I was pulled up into my PaPa’s lap. At one time this had been the most special place in the whole world, until I realized God Himself, would welcome me even more delightfully; for my PaPa’s open-hearted, joyful love had always been a parable of my Father-in-Heaven’s very own making . . .

His Hands Reaching Down

It seems
it’s only
at the bottom
when we
finally look
around
we know
just how far
we’ve fallen
and we realize
we are in
our self-dug pit
where there is no light
nor hope
nor certainly
love,
until
we finally
look up
and begin
to see
a descending
rope
and hear
a voice,
”Stretch up
and seize it,
seize it,
seize it for hope!”
Yet as we try
and try again
we grow weary
and consider
giving up
until we
miraculously
realize His
hands are
reaching
down;
it is
God’s hands
taking ours
and pulling
us up.

M.S.
March 15, 2020

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.

Psalm 139: 8-12