“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:28
Kicking her little legs as hard as she could, and screaming so loud everyone in the restaurant could hear her, a furious toddler found herself unable to escape her father’s grasp.
Her family and their friends were waiting to be seated during a busy Sunday lunch rush. I had been watching this curious little girl wander away from her family to go climb a bench in front of her. Her dad got her off the bench each time, but as soon as he put her on the ground she made a run for it again. After the a few times, he scooped her from the bench with one arm and held her tight with her back against his chest. As I watched her struggle to get away from him, the Lord opened my spiritual eyes to look at rebellion from His perspective.
I watched the willful little girl kick and scream as her dad held her close. He didn’t seem to be bothered at all by her tantrum. He continued to carry on his conversation with the other adults around him without letting go of his daughter. Her fury was no match for her father’s strength. Eventually, the little girl got tired, turned towards her daddy, and melted into his arms. He held her close to him, dried up her tears, and gave her a kiss.
I was in my early twenties at the time, struggling to surrender to God’s will in a specific area of my life. I loved the Lord and wanted to please Him. I knew God was a good Father, but I had not walked with Him long enough to know how to use my past experiences as a personal testimony of His faithfulness and trustworthiness.
I was deeply moved by the tender picture the Lord allowed me to see that day at the restaurant about His love and protection. It was clear to me the little girl’s dad knew better, he was protecting his daughter, he was patient during her resistance, and was readily available to comfort her once she was willing to surrender.
Is there anything you need to surrender to God? If so, just remember that:
- He loves you and wants what is best for you.
- He wants to protect you.
- He is patient in your struggle.
- It’s okay to have a total meltdown in His presence.
- He wants to comfort you.
- He has a different plan for you.
- You belong to Him and nothing will snatch you out of His hand.
May the Lord reveal His love and purpose in your situation. He is good, He is faithful, and He is trustworthy.
Your turn!
- Is there anything you need to surrender to God?
- What is keeping you from trusting that God’s plans for you are better than your own?
- What are you afraid of?
- How can trusting God change the outcome?
