Finding the reason to live…

I have been to places so profoundly dark, that I couldn’t see my hand, even when I waved it in front of my eyes. Because, the absence of light is darkness.

I have been in places where leaders didn’t care if I was happy or sad, so long as they had control. They didn’t care if I was dying inside, as long as I did it in silence. But the absence of care is actually cruel. The absence of love invokes fear.

I have also experienced people who believed in me, who dared to tear down the blinders which had tricked me into darkness. Because – and this is true for many of us – in the presence of those who love us and care, we find our reason to live. We find that their ‘perfect love casts out fear.’*

*1 John 4:18 / (photo by RUN 4 FFWPU: www.pexels.com)

Underneath us…

Sometimes I forget that I am loved, that God’s strong arms are around me. Jesus told of a runaway: “His father saw him and… ran to his son, threw his arms around him…” (Luke 15:20) That father had waited in agony. He had wept bucket-loads of tears. He had questioned himself, but he didn’t hold it against his son. He hugged him.

God is like that, for “the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’” (Deuteronomy 33:27) He knows us. He understands us. He embraces us in our hopes, dreams, in our confusion and grief.

His arms are safe. We can rest. His arms are tender. We can trust.

photo: mojtaba-ravanbakhsh-2fCkkbNV4XI-unsplash