School run Series: Confidence in God

We were held up in traffic on a school run. A man was walking his daughter who looked around 11 years old, to school. The sight was lovely to behold. She held her dad so tightly that you could sense the confidence, motivation, protection, care, love, and assurance. They were not talking to each other, just walking in bold steps with their fingers interlocked. As I watched them, it reminded me of our Father in Heaven. I imagined how the girl felt. My thoughts went straight to:

“I have set the LORD always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope.” Psalm 16:8-9 KJV

“He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:6 KJV

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:1-4 KJV

The face of the man was so relaxed, and you could feel a proud dad lovingly holding his daughter. The firm grip of the interlocking fingers were silently expressing, how he loved and will be there for her. It reminded me again of the scriptures

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10 KJV

“The LORD is thy keeper: The LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:5-8 KJV

Just as the dad held his daughter’s hand, so the Lord holds our hands through the journey of life. He has promised he will lead and be with us. His everlasting arms are underneath us.

“The eternal God is thy refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, Destroy them.” Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV

We can feel his love at all times. He is our faithful father who is a light to our path and a lamp to our feet. His mercies endure forever and his love past searching. In Him is all fullness and glory and our hope and confidence are in him. When we hold his hands in closeness, protection is guaranteed. All powers and principalities are made subject to him. We walk in boldness beside him because all power belongs to him. He is our helper; we shall not fear what man shall do to us. We are safe in him. We should not fear at all. What an assurance.

You could see, the young girl felt protected. If she could trust an earthly father that way, how about us who have The Heavenly Father? Both were proud to have each other as dad and daughter. Is God proud to have us as children and we are proud to have Him as a father? Most of us are ashamed of the gospel. We hide our faith and we do not have the confidence that God can protect us. What a lovely sight. I wished we can proudly and confidently respond to the love God has shown us. Giving us Himself a ransom, he shed His blood on the cross and proclaimed, “It is finished”. Our sins finished on the cross; our sorrows, pain, fear, anguish, depression, loneliness, uncertainty, death, and disease finished on the cross. Can we be seen holding on to God so closely? The school represents the works of life for a child of that age. The teachers, studies, good and difficult subjects, bullies, friends, resentments, play, and laughter. Some children are not too keen to go to school on certain days. The tightly held hand is enough to boost morale, motivate and counter any fear of what school has in store for the day. When we walk with God to our school of life, we have the confidence to face any challenges. His hands are reassuring and root our faith in Him.