Monday: I haven’t always liked hugs—in my childhood, hugs were not “safe” most of the time. A hug was often given in order to take from, not to comfort or reassure. In the past, I have sought out hugs but almost without fail was disappointed and used.
I have watched loving parents give hugs to their children. I’ll cite Kelly (my daughter-in-law) as an example. Kelly hugs the children if they have fallen down and are crying—she will give a long hug and set them on their feet again; or if they are having a meltdown and are angry, or sometimes if they are going in a direction contrary to what she has spoken, she will hold them close to her to soothe them or to repeat her instructions or to tell them she is sad they are hurting. Kelly gives “safe” hugs. When I first met her, she hugged me in a way I had never been hugged prior—like she actually meant it with kindness and love … a total giving thing, not a taking thing. When I get a hug from Kelly, I often tell her I feel like I have been “hugged by Jesus.”
Out of my 68 years, I have been married twice—14 years the first, and nearly 15 the second time; ten years in-between I was alone, and now I have been alone another ten. These last ten have been the happiest years of my life; but sometimes I DO get lonely. Sometimes I feel almost desperate for a good hug.
Last week was a difficult one. I found myself feeling pretty needy and actually quite pathetic. I don’t often dwell in pathos—it’s quite unfruitful for me—but a week ago Tuesday morning, I just felt overwhelmed with NEED. I began studying this week’s Bible Study lesson and checked out all five pages of questions. I just wasn’t in the “mood” to do any of them at all until I got to the last few questions. We were asked to look up three passages of Scripture about God’s guidance and promises from Psalm 23, 73 and 139.
Instead of the theme of God’s guidance, God spoke to me about “holding me with his hand.”
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by your right hand … Psalm 73.23
hold [achaz] “to lay or keep hold on”. Hebrew lexicon: “to grasp, take hold of”
“Achaz” is used this way in Song of Songs 3:4 I held him, and would not let him go …
I found more in Psalm 139.5 (NIV)
You hem me in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. The word “hem” can mean “to surround restrictively” which doesn’t sound very friendly, but actually, it makes me think of good boundaries. Healthy ones.
Psalm 139:7 - 10 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
I think God’s guidance and His holding go together very closely. Just like a concerned parent, He tells us which way to go and then hugs us tightly to reassure us of His love and plans for us.
As I was thinking on all of this, I did fell HUGGED by God and my heart settled way down into a deep peace. I AM loved. I AM safely hugged by the Lord who loves me unfailingly, in spite of all my failures. I think I should commit to memory much of Psalm 139 and ask the Lord to remind me how close He is to me every single day.
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