Something happened twice during the first week of July to show me, and us, that God is VERY active in our lives.

Aiden and I had to take some things to the church for the upcoming picnic, and since there was no one around, I let him play on the playground for a few minutes. He had never been able to use the monkey bars before, but he REALLY wanted to, although he was very afraid.  He asked me to come stand by him while he tried to get across.  I went and stood by him.  But that was not enough.  He was still too afraid to try.  Then he said something that got me thinking.  He said, “Grammio, just put your finger on my arm.  Then I won’t be afraid. I will be brave enough to try.”  I put my finger on his wrist and he put his hands on the monkey bars and tried to swing across.  He is not strong enough yet, but he tried because he knew I had my finger on him.

What I thought about later was that God doesn’t just put his finger on us, although that would be enough.  He keeps us in His whole hand.  It says in Isaiah 41:10, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” If He keeps us in His whole hand, of what can we be afraid? I thought, “What is this saying to me?  What does He want me to do that is out of my comfort zone?”  It applies to every one of us.  What does He want us to do that is out of our comfort zones?

The second “happening” was the next day.  Olivia and I were in the back yard when she fell off of a chair she had put on a small hill.  She got up, not hurt, and ran around.  I went toward the chair to pick it up and to check on her when she took off down the driveway toward the street.  She was at least 25 feet ahead of me.  As she was nearing the street and not stopping, three cars were zooming down our street toward my house.  I knew I would not be able to catch her before she was in the street, and the cars were almost at my driveway.  I quickly prayed, “Please catch her!” A neighbor’s son, who does not live with them and who does not visit often, “just happened” to be standing next to his car.  I yelled, “Stop her!”  He ran into the street, risking his own life, and put up his hands, yelling, “Stop!”  The cars stopped, and so did Olivia.  She was safe.  Obviously, God had His hand on Olivia.  The neighbor’s son is not usually there, but God used his presence to help keep Olivia safe.

I hope you never have to have such drama to realize that God’s hand is on your life.  I do know that it is there, and will never leave you.  Be brave, like Aiden, because His hand is on you.

Blessings,

Madge