I Know I'm Heard

Several recent events featured in online news items have provoked a huge response from readers. Many sites offer an opportunity for comments, and they receive literally thousands upon thousands. A few are sane and well-reasoned arguments, a great many have little substance, and some are ferocious, vulgar and rude. Then other readers comment on those comments, often resorting to name-calling and unprintable adjectives, represented by a series of symbols and a few well-placed letters so that anyone can tell what is meant without the words being kicked out by an automatic censoring system. I imagine said system can also check for libelous statements or threats. Surely no actual person is going to read all those 12,521 comments. (I'm not making that up.)

That's just it. Why rush to make one's opinion known when no one who really matters cares? There seems to be frenzied effort on the part of many to express what they think, even if it merely repeats what someone else has said. From my limited point of view, there is no discussion, no information added, no new ideas put forth, not even succinct summary offered—just repetitious rantings.

I like knowing that I have Someone who always listens to me. I may not present a good argument to God, but He listens anyway. I may even have a complaint, but I don't have to yell for Him to hear it. There are a great many prayers in the Scripture, asking God to hear. But a few declare that He does indeed hear. One of those verses gives Jesus' own words. Because He is our way to the Father, we can say as He did, "I know that You always hear me."

O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer.

Even the news.

MaryMartha

Words of hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", by Joseph Scriven, 1855

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Seek and Find

Three men with metal detectors climbed out of a big SUV and went to work hunting for coins, or maybe jewelry. I guessed that they probably wouldn’t find anything tremendously valuable, perhaps somebody's bus change, but the search itself is fun!

Scripture study is fun. It's more than that, of course, but it is a hugely pleasurable activity. The hunt is not in vain; we are certain to discover riches. And besides that, the treasure is so wonderful!

"The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." (Psalm 19:9-11)

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Things Mama Taught Me: "Clean Your Plate"

Doctors and nutritionists who are concerned about obese Americans no longer think eating everything on our plate was such a good idea. That was probably the start for many people of habitually eating beyond the satisfaction of their hunger. "Waste not, want not," was a stern lesson learned during Depression days by our parents or grandparents, and leaving food on one's plate was careless and wasteful.

A book I've just read with "rules" about food and eating suggests that I practice not cleaning my plate as I was taught, but instead leaving a few morsels so as to eat less and to develop self-control. As a matter of fact, not eating everything is an extremely important courtesy in some cultures to show that the host has provided adequately and the guest does not need to be served more food. Although we are not as concerned as some, it actually makes a lot of sense to give this visual signal to those who would press additional food on us.

Thinking of food and self-control and realizing again the significance of fasting during Lent, I saw in a new light the significance of not cleaning my plate. Could it be a mini-fast, a small reminder of how many people in the world are hungry? "Think of all the children in China who would like to have what you are leaving on your plate," my mother would tell me—as if my eating all of it would somehow fill their bellies. But there was more to it than that. I think her intention, besides curbing wastefulness, was to raise my awareness of the abundance I had while many others suffered lack.

Cleaning my plate down to the shine has become an ingrained habit through the years, so that it no longer has any connection at all with the hunger of many others in the world. I am wondering if not cleaning my plate might remind me of their need. "If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday." (Isaiah 58:10)


MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

He Cares About You

At one point, many years ago, I faced very difficult life circumstances. These were not passing problems but ongoing hardship and emotional distress until I almost despaired. It was a very dark time, too. I found it hard to pray; it seemed that I was not being heard. I did not find comfort in reading the Bible, and I could not sing. My journey of faith was more like slogging through a swamp than walking on "the King's highway." I had no intention of giving up, but everything was just so difficult.

One day, with no reason for it except God's merciful intervention, the words of I Peter 5:7 came to mind. "He careth for you." (God most often talks to me in King James English, because that is the version of the Bible I had been reading for much of my life.) "He cares for me!" I began to pray again, with renewed confidence that He was concerned about my sorrows. I began to read the Word again with renewed faith that He would strengthen me to carry the load.

If you are in a hard place, sing!

I trust in God wherever I may be,
Upon the land or on the rolling sea,
For, come what may, from day to day,
My heav'nly Father watches over me.

He makes the rose an object of His care,
He guides the eagle thru the pathless air,
And surely He remembers me,
My heav'nly Father watches over me.

The valley may be dark, the shadows deep
But O, The Shepherd guards His lonely sheep;
And thru the gloom, He'll lead me home,
My heav'nly Father watches over me.

Chorus
I trust in God, I know He cares for me,
On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;
Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul,
My heav'nly Father watches over me.
--Rev. W. C. Martin, 1910

MaryMartha

You may also want to read "Worrying" here.

Words of the song located at
http://www.namethathymn.com/hymn-lyrics-detective-forum/index.php?a=vtopic&t=105

Peek-a-Boo!

Very young children, usually somewhat under a year, are not able to comprehend the permanence of objects. "Out of sight, out of mind." Mother or an older child can cover their own face or the baby's eyes and then pop back into view, saying, "Peek-a-boo! I see you!" to the surprise and delight of the baby. As far as he or she was concerned, the playmate had gone away and now suddenly they have returned!

Sometimes we grownups act that way with some hard reality or disappointing circumstance. If we don't look directly at it—covering it up or closing our eyes—maybe it will go away. "Out of sight, out of mind!"

It isn't true. Minor problems may disappear all right: the big dog in the yard will wander off somewhere else soon, the traffic jam will unsnarl, the headache will clear up. But major issues like a lack of communication with your spouse, a summons to jury duty, or a leak in the water heater are going to need some attention.

The crowds who followed Jesus sometimes played the hiding game. He told them,

"Here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you . . . Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? . . . The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." . . . From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

"Out of sight, out of mind," they thought. And then Jesus turned to the disciples.

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:50-69)

Yes, sometimes we are confronted by a difficult truth, something we don't understand and find hard to accept. But let us not close our eyes or turn away. Instead, let's reply, "Lord, to whom else could I go? You have the words of eternal life."

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu

In the Middle

I am a middle child. Growing up, I was too little to do what the big kids do, too big to act like the little ones! "It ain't easy being me!"

It's good to be in the middle of some things. I'm in the middle of a project. I drive in the middle of country roads to avoid the hazards along the edge. I am in the middle of a great book I'm reading.

It's not so good to be in the middle of some other things. I was caught in the middle of this huge traffic jam. We're in the middle of allergy season. He or she likes to be in the middle of things.

Ah! It's that last "in the middle" that often gets us into difficulty!

4Not every conversation I hear is intended to include me. If I decide to "butt in," I'd better be certain what I have to say is going to be welcomed. Staying out of the middle is well-advised.

4Not every problem that I observe someone having requires my input. Really think about it before getting in the middle.

4Not every dramatic situation that is brought to me for pity actually needs a pitying response. Stay out of the middle.

4Not everyone needs me to defend them. Stay out of the middle.

4Not every idea that floats through my head deserves to be spoken. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool," Abraham Lincoln said, "than to speak out and remove all doubt." Stay out of the middle.

4Not every idea presented by someone else has to have my approval or veto. It's often wisest to stay out of the middle.

4Not every experience of mine makes me an expert on a seemingly similar experience of someone else. For sure, stay out of the middle!

4Not every issue—theological, political, or social—requires me to have a fully-formed, defendable opinion on the matter. Wait a good long while before getting in the middle of debate.

4Not every cause, regardless how good, has a claim to my resources. Be careful how many of those "middles" I get into.

It seems, doesn't it, that I am better off not being in the middle of a lot of business that is not strictly my own? This doesn't necessarily mean lack of caring. If you look back over the list, you will see that it mainly means not talking too much!

The Book of Proverbs has some good advice about talking. Here are a few verses, and there are many more:

• Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (10:19)

• Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. (13:3)

• The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words. (15:28)

• A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. (17:27)

Remembering these Scriptures will help me stay out of the middle of things that are "none of my beeswax"—the softer way of saying "This is none of your business," used often by those bigger kids in my little life!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Things Mama Taught Me: "It's Good to Share"

My parents brought up six children, all of whom were living in the home at the same time. There had to be some lines drawn about owning stuff.

Community ownership was the rule concerning many things. The pets belonged to everyone—and no one; they were outdoor animals and pretty much fended for themselves. The bicycles belonged to everyone, and so did the old tires and barrel hoops we rolled and the swing that hung from a pipe frame. The playhouse in an old chicken house was no one's exclusively. Unless they had been given to you specifically, the crayons and scissors and flour paste belonged to everyone.

But there was personal ownership too. Each of us had a "cupboard," a fruit crate turned on end, fitted with extra shelves and curtained by our mother. In it were papers, books, toys that belonged specifically to that person, old keys, pretty rocks, and anything else that was treasured by the owner and that would fit between the shelves. When the possessions stuffed into it began to fall out, Mama decreed that "it is time to clean out your cupboard." It was a terrible affront to have someone (that is to say, a sibling) "go into your cupboard" without permission. Another example of a strict ownership rule is this: Candy did not appear in our home very often, but at Christmas there was a plate of fruit, nuts, and candy for each of us (a German tradition). Sorrow was certain to come to any person who failed to honor "mine" and "thine."

Sharing and taking turns were lessons in the schoolroom and in the Sunday School classes. The materials and play equipment there did not belong to any of us but to "the school" or to "the church." We could use them if we shared and if we took turns. (This, we were assured, pleased Jesus.) But at home, I do not remember much about being ordered to share. That was encouraged, of course. "It's good to share," we were taught, but we were not forced to share what was rightfully ours individually.

So did we grow up to be hard-hearted and selfish? No, I don't think so. What we learned back then is that there are boundaries. We do not take things that belong to someone else. We do not enter places where we are not invited or assigned. We do not intrude into affairs that are not our business. We do not assume the right to do what we want at the cost of everyone else's comfort or pleasure; this is particularly true in public placates.. We respect other people and what is theirs. Hopefully, they will respect us and what is ours. Then when we decide to give or share, it is from the heart because we have chosen it.

We learned to respect God and what is His too. The Bible, God's Book, was handled with particular care. The Church, God's house, was a place to walk and not run, to speak quietly and not laugh loudly. The music was lively but appropriate to this special place. The "saints" there, God's people, were held in esteem. We shared our time and money and childish energy not because we had to but because we wanted to. (Well, most of the time, anyway!) As an adult, I now have a clearer sense of everything having its source in God and ultimately belonging to Him. But I am also still guided by the principles of responsibility to myself and others that I first learned as a child.

To think about:
What were you taught about having personal belongings and about sharing? Does that still affect your sense of owning stuff?

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Changes

Today at a divisional meeting of the organization which employs me, my supervisor announced some reorganization of our workgroups. Hoping to reassure us she said, "And this won't change"—but then she added, "until it does." Doesn't this confirm what people in general believe: There is nothing as certain as change!

Changes are happening in our lives all the time, so gradually that we don't even pay attention on an everyday basis. We are aging just a little bit at a time, we are adjusting to a new family member or the loss of an older one, or we are challenged to learn a new job or leisure skill. It sometimes happens that all of a sudden we realize a great change has taken place almost without our being aware. "I'm nearly retirement age!" we marvel, or "I can't believe Grandma G has been gone a year," or "I thought I would never learn this, but it's simple now." We usually can accept this kind of change as being part of life. Living things change.

Often we find it harder to deal with the changes that come suddenly, with little or no prior warning. They may be quite small, really, but they upset our routine, require us to redirect our energies, and tax our composure. A detour requires us to change our usual route while a road is being repaired. A change in office or workstation means adjusting to other surroundings and perhaps other employees. The church's small group of which we are a member begins to meet at a different time. We break a finger or a tooth, pay more for postage stamps, or someone rearranges the furniture. Can we accept these too as being part of life? Facing these changes with equanimity helps us grow into the kind of persons who can face the greater challenges.

"Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me!" ("Abide with Me," Henry F. Lyte, 1847)

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

D-Moments

The employer of a friend of mine uses a disciplinary measure called D-Day. If a person has too many unexcused absences, for example, they are assigned an unpaid day off and must demonstrate their desire to continue working for this organization by their written statement to that effect. That D-Day is a "decision day."

Although we probably don't take furlough days and write essays about why we want to continue holding our position, we usually face lots of minor decisions. Maybe D-moments? Shall I stop for my favorite caramel latte (three dollars) or shall I bring along a cup of coffee from my own kitchen? Shall I remind the middle-schooler—again—to take her homework to school or make him/her take the consequences? Shall I park here in the handicapped space—I'll only be three minutes, tops—or shall I find a spot farther away? (Now you do know what's right, don't you, and besides you won't have a choice about paying the ticket.) Shall I maintain control of the TV remote, or shall I share? Shall I buy show tickets for the whole family or not?

Sometimes our choices are between equally attractive options; sometimes they are about choosing what is wise. Sometimes our decisions reflect our sense of responsibility and fairness, sometimes our sense of fun. We may opt for the sensible, or we can throw caution to the winds. Sometimes we have to consider what is right as opposed to what is convenient. Not to give undue seriousness to these little actions, but a hymn written over a hundred fifty years ago reminds us that little D-moments do add up to something meaningful.


Little drops of water, little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean and the beauteous land.

And the little moments, humble though they may be,
Make the mighty ages of eternity.


Little deeds of kindness, little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden, like the heaven above.

So our little errors lead the soul away,
From the paths of virtue into sin to stray.

-- Julia Carney, 1845

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Hold Onto the Lord

Recently I bought a CD of southern Gospel music, and I play it often in the morning while I'm preparing to go to work. Because I am not sitting right there listening, sometimes I don't get exactly right what the words of the song are. I was hearing, "Grab hold onto the Lord." I thought that was a bit strange, so I listened again carefully, and yes, that is what I heard. So I finally checked the liner notes, and found out that I was very badly mistaken! However, because I had listened to the music so many times while hearing the wrong words, that is still what comes to mind first. "Grab hold onto the Lord." But maybe that is not such a bad thing, after all. The concept is certainly true, although not very poetic!

Moses instructed the children of Israel—and it goes for us too—"You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him—hold on to him for dear life!" (Deuteronomy 13:4)

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

The Marvels of Spring

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.' (Song of Solomon 2:11 NKJV)

Although the calendar says that the official beginning of spring is more than a week away, the crocuses know better, as do the robins and turtledoves. These harbingers of spring have been at it two weeks already, telling me what I am ever so ready to hear!

This city's 43rd annual Garden Show was held this past weekend. The highlight for me was the gardens. Tons of dirt and rock were hauled in during the preceding days to create spectacular "great" gardens, mid gardens, small gardens, and mini-gardens. Waterfalls and a koi pond, rock walls and flowering trees, live owls and an eagle, pussy willows and pansies, hyacinth and hosta. What a varied display of the talents of our local gardeners and nursery owners!

Of course, all of this was enclosed in our civic center. A few feet away from the exotic gardens was bare floor. The trees and flowers basked, not in the sun but in floodlights. The grass was watered by a sprinkler system and the ponds were filled with a hose. It was all beautiful, but only temporary. Nothing could last indefinitely in that artificial setting.

What a grand earth God has given us to enjoy where the flowers and birds are a natural part of the creation in the springtime! Winter was sometimes difficult with sidewalks to shovel, icy streets to drive through, and sitters to find when the schools were closed. But winter had its beauty too—bare trees made furry by a freezing fog, the tracks wild creatures left in the snow, and the warmth and safe feeling of home.

"Who do you suppose carves canyons for the downpours of rain, and charts the route of thunderstorms that bring water to unvisited fields, deserts no one ever lays eyes on,drenching the useless wastelands so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?And who do you think is the father of rain and dew, the mother of ice and frost? You don't for a minute imagine these marvels of weather just happen, do you? (Job 38:25-30 MSG)

MaryMartha

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Starve a Fever . . .

The idea of feeding a cold and starving a fever very likely originated back in the 1500's when people believed there were two kinds of illnesses. Illnesses caused by low temperatures, such as a cold, had to have "fuel," so it was necessary for the patient to eat plenty. Other illnesses were caused by high temperatures, such as a fever; the person needed to be cooled down, so he/she should not eat in order to deprive the body of heat-making energy. Most doctors now think that starving a fever is not going to produce significant benefit, and may in fact be harmful since the body needs adequate nutrition to support the immune system.

A fever, though, can be a helpful thing, warning us that something may need attention. Usually there is no cause for alarm. A slight and temporary rise in temperature may not require anything more than a couple of aspirin and some extra rest. But continued high temperature or a fever with other symptoms demands, "Pay attention! Something is wrong here!"

Anger is somewhat like a fever. There are many things in an ordinary day that can spark that response. The rude driver who cut you off. The neighbor's dog barking at all hours. The long wait at the grocery story, and you're in the wrong line again. The Coke machine that doesn't give anything for the money you deposited.

Like the fever that registers on the thermometer, this little fever of anger signals that something may need your attention. Usually there is no cause for alarm. A slight and temporary rise in your emotional temperature may not require anything more than a couple of deep breaths and a quick prayer for calm. But continued mulling over your frustration means, "Pay attention to what's happening!" Anger along with other symptoms like yelling, muttering mean things or making rude gestures says, "Something has gone wrong here!"

The best thing to do with the fever of anger is to starve it. Don't dwell on the injustice. Forgive the insult. Reject the idea of getting even. Let it go. Paul said it, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31, 32)

"Starve a fever" may not be good medical practice, but it is sound spiritual advice.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Information about the old home remedy of starving a fever is from the online HealthLibrary of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, a large academic medical center in Philadelphia.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

If the Lord Is With Us, Why . . . ?

Time and again, the enemy forces from Midian had attacked the children of Israel, forcing them to hide in caves and dens in the mountains. Whatever the Israelites sowed in their fields, the Midianites and other marauding tribes came and destroyed or carried away, leaving an impoverished people.

Gideon, an Israelite, was threshing a little bit of wheat one day, hidden in the winepress because who would think to look there? The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, saying "“Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Gideon must have been quite surprised—first of all, by seeing an angel, and secondly, by being addressed as a hero, and a mighty one at that.

“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” (Judges 6:13)

Gideon is not the only one to have wondered about God's readiness to stick with us: the Israelites in the wilderness, Job's wife, the psalmist David. Even Jesus' agonized cry from the Cross was, "God, where are You?" And it is easy for us too to look at what is around us—the difficulty we are encountering or the loss we've suffered—and question, "If the Lord is with me, why has all this happened?" We can even recount what He has done for us in the past and still conclude, "I guess He has abandoned me." It just isn't true!

God did deliver the people from oppression, using Gideon—to his own surprise—as a strategic warrior and a true hero. God did lead the people from the wilderness into the Promised Land. He did heal Job from terrible disease and free Job's wife from her inner turmoil. God did make David a king and a man after His own heart. And He did raise Jesus to sit with Him in heavenly places.
God has not changed. He is with us too, "For God has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.' ” (Hebrews 13:5) Some lines from a very old hymn remind us:

I’ve seen the lightning flashing, I’ve heard the thunder roll.
I’ve felt sin’s breakers dashing, which almost conquered my soul.
I’ve heard the voice of my Savior, bidding me still to fight on.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!

The world’s fierce winds are blowing temptation sharp and keen.
I have a peace in knowing my Savior stands between.
He stands to shield me from danger when all my friends are gone.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!

When in affliction’s valley I tread the road of care,
My Savior helps me carry the cross so heavy to bear;
Though all around me is darkness, earthly joys all flown;
My Savior whispers His promise, never to leave me alone!

Refrain
No, never alone, no never alone,
He promised never to leave me,
He’ll claim me for His own;
No, never alone, no never alone.
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone.

-- Ludie D. Pickett (1897)

MaryMartha

You may also like:
The Lord Is My Shepherd (here)
Has God Forgotten? (here)

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Hymn lyrics from http://my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/alone.html
Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Things Mama Taught Me: "Watch for Cars"

Since I lived in a rural area instead of in the city, my mother's warning was not "Look both ways before you cross the street." It was "Watch for cars," because along the country roads, cars and trucks could whiz by at kid-endangering speeds. Of course, if we were out on the road for some reason, the chances are good that the day was sunny and dry, in which case, one was usually forewarned by the billowing dust that could be seen half a mile away.

The whole point of mothers giving their children these warnings is that they must watch out for things that can run over them, things that are bigger than they are. When children are still very young, Mother may decide that they are not big enough to be out there alone, and they cannot go unless they are holding somebody's hand. (Although closer to the truth is somebody holds theirs.)

That could be seen as defining life in today's world. There are things out there bigger than we are. There are things that can hurt us, even "run us over"! We have to watch out for them, because they may not be watching out for us unless, unfortunately, they intend to catch us unawares; that can happen too. We need to be holding onto Someone's hand, although the truth is, we need Him to hold ours since we might accidentally let go.

Our great Protector and Guide and Friend says, "I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.' " (Isaiah 41:13)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

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