One Saturday afternoon I took my little boys with me to the mall so I could buy a new pair of dress shoes. Frankly, it was a rather unpleasant experience as they threw shoes on the floor, tried on all the size 13’s, and made quite a bit of noise. Wanting to leave as soon as possible I disappointed the salesman as I resisted his attempts to talk me into buying the $180 shoes. Nevertheless the boys and I found some shiny new ones.
After paying, I wrangled Andy and Brady and we headed for the door of the mall. I tried to hold their hands, but it was no use. They were not interested. One was running ahead of me and the other running behind, but I had a good sense of where each one was the entire time. Andy got outside first, and stopped dead in his tracks. I wondered why he stopped so suddenly? A few seconds later I emerged from the exit, and also had to stop and stand still. Next was Brady, singing and dancing his way out of the store, but he immediately became silent when he was outside.
We were all still for one reason…the sun. It was so bright it literally forced each of us to stop walking, close our eyes, and cover our face. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon and that sun was intense. So much so, we literally
could not look where we were going without pain in our eyes. The boys cried,
“Daddy its so bright!” There was no denying it. I simply stated, “Let’s walk to
the car.”
None of us had sunglasses, which certainly would have helped. But the boys
had one thing to their advantage…me. A few moments before, they wouldn’t even consider holding my hand, even as I had asked them when we were getting ready to leave. Now as we stood on the curb, all with our eyes closed standing in a row, we must have looked rather silly to all the people driving past. But we literally couldn’t see due to the bright sunshine.
Then...I felt two hands feeling for mine. Andy on my right, Brady on my left, they felt around my legs until I removed my hands from shielding my face, and lowered my arms to let them discover my hands. As the three of us linked together, Andy said, “Daddy, I’ll hold your hand and keep my eyes closed tight.”
That was good thinking. Brady had the same strategy. Now, these guys had
no idea that daddy was also having a real challenge. However, as an adult I could adjust, adapt, and lead them to the car. What I needed was their trust. Trust in me, their father. As we walked hand-in-hand to the car, I was touched by the faith they put in me. Their eyes were closed and they held to me tight. Completely placing themselves in my hands and requiring me to lead them. Our heavenly father desires that same trust from us.
We can’t completely handle things on our own, yet we try to. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). So why do we feel we can face the bright and burning, scorching heat of our anxieties, tasks, and problems, without grasping His hand? My sons had quickly come to the realization that they were helpless. They couldn’t move forward without their hands in mine. Its that simple…a child places a hand in the grip of the parent. We can do the same toward our father in heaven. Its ok to reach out with some hesitation...its hard to give-up control. Yet when we do release the tight grip we keep on our fears and decisions, and instead place our trust in the guidance of Jesus, we understand what the Lord promises in His Word:
"I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17)
Reach for His hand and let him lead...even if you're eyes are still closed.
After paying, I wrangled Andy and Brady and we headed for the door of the mall. I tried to hold their hands, but it was no use. They were not interested. One was running ahead of me and the other running behind, but I had a good sense of where each one was the entire time. Andy got outside first, and stopped dead in his tracks. I wondered why he stopped so suddenly? A few seconds later I emerged from the exit, and also had to stop and stand still. Next was Brady, singing and dancing his way out of the store, but he immediately became silent when he was outside.
We were all still for one reason…the sun. It was so bright it literally forced each of us to stop walking, close our eyes, and cover our face. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon and that sun was intense. So much so, we literally
could not look where we were going without pain in our eyes. The boys cried,
“Daddy its so bright!” There was no denying it. I simply stated, “Let’s walk to
the car.”
None of us had sunglasses, which certainly would have helped. But the boys
had one thing to their advantage…me. A few moments before, they wouldn’t even consider holding my hand, even as I had asked them when we were getting ready to leave. Now as we stood on the curb, all with our eyes closed standing in a row, we must have looked rather silly to all the people driving past. But we literally couldn’t see due to the bright sunshine.
Then...I felt two hands feeling for mine. Andy on my right, Brady on my left, they felt around my legs until I removed my hands from shielding my face, and lowered my arms to let them discover my hands. As the three of us linked together, Andy said, “Daddy, I’ll hold your hand and keep my eyes closed tight.”
That was good thinking. Brady had the same strategy. Now, these guys had
no idea that daddy was also having a real challenge. However, as an adult I could adjust, adapt, and lead them to the car. What I needed was their trust. Trust in me, their father. As we walked hand-in-hand to the car, I was touched by the faith they put in me. Their eyes were closed and they held to me tight. Completely placing themselves in my hands and requiring me to lead them. Our heavenly father desires that same trust from us.
We can’t completely handle things on our own, yet we try to. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). So why do we feel we can face the bright and burning, scorching heat of our anxieties, tasks, and problems, without grasping His hand? My sons had quickly come to the realization that they were helpless. They couldn’t move forward without their hands in mine. Its that simple…a child places a hand in the grip of the parent. We can do the same toward our father in heaven. Its ok to reach out with some hesitation...its hard to give-up control. Yet when we do release the tight grip we keep on our fears and decisions, and instead place our trust in the guidance of Jesus, we understand what the Lord promises in His Word:
"I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17)
Reach for His hand and let him lead...even if you're eyes are still closed.
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