Devotion of the Week
February 19, 2005
By: Rev. John W. Bowling, Pastor
Covenant United Methodist Church
Middlesboro, Kentucky

"I give eternal life to [my sheep], and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" (John 10:29-8-29).

I remember well so many times, as a boy, holding my father's hand-and I hated it. I suppose all children, after a certain age, despise having to hold a hand, but I hated holding my father's hand because his grip was so tight. Whenever he would finally release it, my hand would be wringing with sweat.

But something else I remember is where he held my hand. We would go, to what was then, the River City Mall in downtown Louisville. Essentially, it was a few blocks of stores near the Ohio river. The street had been closed to traffic and we would just walk along from store to store. The pavement was uneven and rough in spots.

You know how children are--I would be looking here, looking there, walk slow, walk fast, and skip and never pay attention to where I was going. Invariably, I would trip or start to fall, but that strong, firm hand would hold me up so that I never hit the ground-never a bruise or scratch.

Isn't that the way it is with our Heavenly Father? ...Although we must be willing to put ourselves and our circumstances into His hands (hands that are strong, supportive, and looking out for us when we can't--or just don't know how--to look out for ourselves).

Think back, if you will, just for a moment to some of the most difficult times in your life: pain, frustration, anger, disappointment, sorrow. ...How did you make it? How did you survive? What enabled you to get through it and move forward? Did you put yourself in God's hands? And if not, why not? They are there. There for you. Wherever you are now with life, release yourself into His hands.