Like A Father Carries His Son: Part I

Deuteronomy 1:29-31
²⁹ Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. ³⁰ The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

The other day my friend and I were discussing how wonderful it is to see a man with his baby.  There is something refreshing about witnessing the strength and safety of a man's arms, holding a vulnerable little baby.  There is something beautiful about seeing the gentleness of a man brought out by the little child in his grasp.  He is utterly responsible for this little one, and in daddy's arms there is no safer place. 

I have always loved this verse because it describes so well the safety we can feel in the arms of God. 

Whether single or married, many times as adults life can get to a place where we feel we are fighting the battle alone.  We are walking along the journey of life feeling depressed and discouraged.  We are at the end of ourselves, broken and weak- having no strength left carry on. 

The unfortunate thing is, many times we try to hide this state of weakness from the world, putting on our disguises and masquerading around as if everything is quite fine.  We are afraid to show weakness.  We are afraid to be vulnerable.  We are afraid to be real.  Somehow, we have learned to believe that Christians should never be broken.  That they should have it all together, all the time.  That discouragement and despair are a sign of a lack of faith or closeness to God.  We have it all wrong. 

As the bible says, Christ did not come for the healthy...but for the sick.  He came for the broken, the weak, the tired and the weary.  He came for those who are able to recognize their need....for those who are able to cry out in despair, like a desperate child raising up his hands for help.  To them that realize they are dying...to them who are willing to lay down their lives.  The beauty is, in Christianity- this is where salvation is found.  It is only when we are at the end of ourselves that God can begin to offer Himself. 

He reaches down and carries us, when we can't walk anymore.  Like a father carries his son, He picks us up off our feet and gently cradles us in His strong arms.  And He doesn't let us down until it's safe.  Until he knows we are strong enough to handle it.  Until we have felt His closeness.  Until we have recognized how important it us to rely on Him. 

My favorite description of this verse is found in Rob Bell's video Nooma: Rain.  He describes an experience he had with his son one day, and how it made this verse come to life.  He describes the beauty that can be found in suffering, because it is in suffering that we are cradled like children in the arms of a loving God. 

What do you need?  Are you at the end of yourself?  May you cry out to Him today.  May you let Him pick you up off your feet and carry you like a Father carries his son.