In His Hands

Some time ago, my son Jacob lay on a hospital bed at Primary Children’s Hospital.  He had severe pain in his abdomen and the doctors determined that his appendix needed to be removed.  The expression that moment on my son’s face was very childlike even at seventeen and seemed to me to be pleading, “What am I doing here?  What is happening to me?  Why am I going through this?  Will I be okay?”   

I’ll never forget what the resident nurse of the emergency floor who was in charge of all that takes place there said and did at that moment to put his anxious feelings to rest.  She patted his arm and said with clarity, conviction, and compassion:  “You are in good hands.  We will take good care of you.” 

I’ve had similar thoughts on difficult challenges: “What am I doing here?  What is happening to me?  Why am I going through this?  Will I be okay?”   What about the health problems?  The relationship challenges?  Addictions?   Employment?   Finances?     

One difficult day several years ago, I prayed early on a Monday morning, “I just need to be held.   Please, hold me, just hold me.”   I went on with my day forgetting my plea.  Later that night, our family gathered for prayer and my oldest daughter walked over to me, put her arms around me to give me a hug and then she just stayed there with her arms around me and held me.  In a flash my morning prayer came to my mind and I had the distinct feeling that God was aware of me and answering my prayer.  He hears me and notices me and I matter to Him.

I feel a loving God say to me.  “You are in good hands.  I will take care of you.”    That understanding is one of the most comforting, encouraging, and motivating thoughts I have ever had.  The most loving, perfect, powerful Being in all creation, worlds without end, tells me that you and I are in His Hands.  And it is going to be okay.