no place I would rather be
A friend and I were praying together the other day. She prayed that I would feel myself held against God's shoulder. And that there, I would hear His heartbeat.
"He will carry the lambs in His arms; holding them close to His heart." Isaiah 40:11 NLT
Last night Miriam drove me crazy staying up way too late studying. Before I climbed into my bed I warned her to be silent when she finally decided to go to sleep, but at some time after one am Marty had to firmly warn her again. Sigh. That girl!! It was that third or fourth or fifth time she woke me up that I remember snuggling up to Marty in order to put myself back to sleep. I laid my ear against his warm back and listened to his heart beat. The steady and consistent rhythm of his heart lulled me safely back to sleep.
I imagine this is exactly what He desires from us. To step away from the constant distractions that are life. Stop. Be still. Snuggle up against Him. Listen for His heartbeat. Hear it. Know Him. Know His love for us. Beat after beat. Steady. Consistent. Never-ending love. Beat after beat. And then rest. Simply rest in Him.
"Come close to God, and God will come close to you." James 4:8 NLT
In my head when I see myself drawing near enough to Him to hear His heartbeat I envision His embrace. Held.
It was shortly after that late-night-homework-crazed red headed fourteen year old was scolded and I re-attempted sleep - again - that Jade walked sleepily into our room. "Daddy, I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you?" We all scooted over in the bed. Just like the little kiddy song, but no one fell out. *smirk*
The sleepy dimpled faced nine year old snuggled in close and instantly was back asleep again. I heard her breathing slow and soaked in the sweet sound of her deep breaths. There really is something beautiful in being held when you are tender and weak and afraid, isn't there?
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
Held by Natalie Grant
So here I am soaking in the precious sound of His heart beating steadily and rhythmically in His chest while He holds me. Yes, I am held. Held by Him.
What a treasure to fully know the Creator and Sustainer of all life treasures me. Gently caressing and holding me up into Him.
"may you have to power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is" Ephesians 3:18 NLT
And, what if? Just what if??? What if suffering and hurt can be agents to knowing the depth, height, length and width of His love? Could it be so? Could it be that in our beautiful brokenness that we may need Him in such a way that we pull ourselves up into His tender arms, draw our head up into His shoulder and chest and feel His very heartbeat?
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us" 1 John 4:10 NKJV
What can this life offer that is more beautiful than anything, yes a.n.y.thing, that would draw us nearer to Him? Is there any place safer or more treasured than being securely held by Him?
There is no place I would rather be.
"You are my hiding place" Psalm 32:7 NLT
"He will carry the lambs in His arms; holding them close to His heart." Isaiah 40:11 NLT
Last night Miriam drove me crazy staying up way too late studying. Before I climbed into my bed I warned her to be silent when she finally decided to go to sleep, but at some time after one am Marty had to firmly warn her again. Sigh. That girl!! It was that third or fourth or fifth time she woke me up that I remember snuggling up to Marty in order to put myself back to sleep. I laid my ear against his warm back and listened to his heart beat. The steady and consistent rhythm of his heart lulled me safely back to sleep.
I imagine this is exactly what He desires from us. To step away from the constant distractions that are life. Stop. Be still. Snuggle up against Him. Listen for His heartbeat. Hear it. Know Him. Know His love for us. Beat after beat. Steady. Consistent. Never-ending love. Beat after beat. And then rest. Simply rest in Him.
"Come close to God, and God will come close to you." James 4:8 NLT
In my head when I see myself drawing near enough to Him to hear His heartbeat I envision His embrace. Held.
It was shortly after that late-night-homework-crazed red headed fourteen year old was scolded and I re-attempted sleep - again - that Jade walked sleepily into our room. "Daddy, I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you?" We all scooted over in the bed. Just like the little kiddy song, but no one fell out. *smirk*
The sleepy dimpled faced nine year old snuggled in close and instantly was back asleep again. I heard her breathing slow and soaked in the sweet sound of her deep breaths. There really is something beautiful in being held when you are tender and weak and afraid, isn't there?
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
Held by Natalie Grant
So here I am soaking in the precious sound of His heart beating steadily and rhythmically in His chest while He holds me. Yes, I am held. Held by Him.
What a treasure to fully know the Creator and Sustainer of all life treasures me. Gently caressing and holding me up into Him.
"may you have to power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is" Ephesians 3:18 NLT
And, what if? Just what if??? What if suffering and hurt can be agents to knowing the depth, height, length and width of His love? Could it be so? Could it be that in our beautiful brokenness that we may need Him in such a way that we pull ourselves up into His tender arms, draw our head up into His shoulder and chest and feel His very heartbeat?
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us" 1 John 4:10 NKJV
What can this life offer that is more beautiful than anything, yes a.n.y.thing, that would draw us nearer to Him? Is there any place safer or more treasured than being securely held by Him?
There is no place I would rather be.
"You are my hiding place" Psalm 32:7 NLT
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