Hold Me

In the message "Step Toward Jesus" we were encouraged to examine the
motivation for the things we do, and exhorted to do ALL things for
the love of being closer to Jesus. This is the essence of our
relationship with our Father - simple, but absolute love.

When a young child wants to be held, they simply reach up their arms
and say: "Hold me!" Children may be hurt, scared, or tired; they may
not even know why they want to be held, but they know that spending
time in arms of love seems to make everything better.

And as a parent looks down at their child, they rarely evaluate them
to determine if they deserve to be held, or send them away to earn
affection. Rather, they simply pick up the child and hold them with
no words even being required. In truth, moments like this bring
parents some of their greatest joy!

Matthew 18:3
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Our Heavenly Father loves us very much! He wants us to come to Him
with outstretched arms. He wants to pick us up and hold us
tight. In truth, moments like this bring His greatest joy! And yet,
we spend most of our days avoiding our Father's loving arms. We seek
other forms of comfort and work to earn our Father's affection. We
pour our heart into projects thinking they are vitally important to
God's work; "Daddy, look what I made for You!" But our best efforts
are as grade school pencil holders and disfigured flower pots. Our
Father smiles at these simple gifts but wishes we would understand.

There's much work to do for the Kingdom of God, but none more
important than loving and being loved by the One who has loved us
since the beginning of time; "Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength" (Mark 12:30).

This can be a difficult concept for many who have not grown up with
the unconditional love and acceptance of an earthly father - but our
Father in Heaven is like none we've ever known. He created us for a
relationship of love and "gave His one and only Son" (John 3:16) so
we could be restored to the relationship which sin stole away. Let
there be no doubt of His love and His promise; "Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

He longs for us to return! Yes, we must clean our room, take out the
trash, and treat others nice on the playground - but at the end of
the day, His greatest desire is that we reach up with empty arms and
say: I love You Daddy...hold me!

Have a Great Day!

Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries

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Scripture references: The Holy Bible: New International Version.
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P.O. Box 190
Lorena, TX 76655
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