HELD IN THE ARMS OF LOVE
I fondly remember times as a child when my parents carried me tenderly in their arms.
When I was in the first grade I came down with a bad case of the measles. In spite of my Mom doing everything she could to alleviate the symptoms, my fever kept going higher and higher.
When it reached the 104°-105°F range, I began having hallucinations. Mom gathered me in her arms, praying as she put me in the backseat of our family car. She rushed me to the doctor’s office where we got the help I needed.
I remember other times when we would return home at night from a long trip and my siblings and I would be asleep in the backseat. Dad would pick us up one by one, and carry us inside, then tuck us into bed. Sometimes, even if I was awake, I would pretend to be asleep just so I could get a free ride to my bed at Dad’s expense. I’m sure he knew I was faking it, but he didn’t mind. Love is like that.
You probably have similar memories. But even if you don’t, it’s a near certainty that you were often held, carried, embraced, and cuddled.
Our earthly parents and family members held us whenever we were weary, sick, fearful, or in danger. They provided hugs and bandages when we “skinned” our knees; loving arms and words of comfort when we “skinned” our hearts.
But they were also subject to the same frailties. There were times when they were distracted, weary, confused, and just plain overwhelmed, and couldn’t give us their undivided attention. That’s just the natural human condition. We are finite… weak, frail, and limited.
YAHWEH RA’AH – OUR SHEPHERD
But our Shepherd is always tuned in to our needs, always attentive to our prayers, and always present and ready to strengthen and sustain us. And the beauty of it all is this: He can care for each of us lovingly, individually, completely, and simultaneously!
No matter how strong we think we are… no matter how self-reliant we try to be… no matter whether we even know it or not, we have all been carried… from Day One…in the ever-strong, never-failing arms of Yahweh Ra’ah, the Lord, our Shepherd.
“For you formed my innermost parts; you knit me [together] in my mother’s womb.”
(Psalm 139:13, Amplified Bible)
“Listen to Me,” [says the Lord], “O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been carried by me from your birth and have been carried [in my arms] from the womb…
(Isaiah 46:3, Amplified Bible)
JESUS CARRIES US BECAUSE HE CARES
Not only will He carry us personally, but He also offers to carry the heavy load of our worries, fears, troubles, and burdens… if we will let Him!
“Cast your burden on the Lord, releasing the weight of it, and He will sustain you…”
(Psalm 55:22, AMPC)
“Casting the whole of your care, all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all, on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 5:7, AMPC)
I’m sure you noticed from the two verses above that our Shepherd invites us to cast ALL of our burdens on Him and to release the weight of them ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Let’s think this through:
We live in a culture that highly esteems and glorifies independence and self-sufficiency.
It’s considered a virtue to “hold on”, and to “bear up under the load” of troubles and tribulations that press down on us. We are told, ” When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it, and hang on!”
So we carry our burdens ourselves, even asking the Lord for more strength to carry them longer. In religious circles, people often lament (boast, in reality) about the weight of the “cross they are bearing”. The heavier their load, the holier they appear to be.
But, the truth is exactly the opposite. In reality, the Lord desires to carry us… plus the weight of the burdens we often insist on “carrying ourselves”. Our strength will fail, but He “neither faints, nor is weary”. So why do we continue to hold on to our cares, anxieties, and fears?
HE TAKES OUR LOAD, THEN LOADS US!
Let me share something with you that the Lord revealed to me while I was studying this subject.
Bible translators don’t seem to agree on their translation of Psalm 68:19. Here are two very different takes on this verse:
From the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition:
“Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God who is our salvation!”
From the New King James Version:
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!”
About half the translations that I looked at concluded that this verse refers to the Lord bearing our burdens and carrying us, thus agreeing with the AMPC.
The other half interpreted the verse as saying that God loads up our lives with abundant covenant blessings, thus agreeing with the NKJV.
So which is correct? BOTH!
This us what I heard Holy Spirit whisper in my heart:
“Son, let me carry you. Put the weight of your worries, fears, and troubles on me. Now that your arms are unburdened, and your heart is free, let me fill your life with all the blessings I desire for you.”
He removes our exhausting and debilitating burdens, and loads us with life-enhancing benefits, abundant blessings that enrich and perfect us.
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. (John 10:10, Amplified Bible)
HE WILL CARRY US ALL THE WAY HOME!
God is forever faithful. He never stops loving us and caring for us. From our first cry at birth to our final breath in this world, He is the God who carries us.
He wants to relieve us of our wearisome burdens and load us with the blessings of His love!
Every breath in our lungs, and every beat of our heart proclaims His love for us and His eternal faithfulness to us.
“Even as you grow old and your hair turns gray, I’ll keep carrying you! I am your Maker and your Caregiver. I will carry you and be your Savior.“ (Isaiah 46:4, TPT)
“Even to your old age I am He, And even to your advanced old age I will carry you! I have made you, and I will carry you; Be assured I will carry you and I will save you.”
(Isaiah 46:4, Amplified Bible)
He upholds us! He fully supports us! He will never fail us! He will never give up on us!
“He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in His arms,
holding them close to His heart…”
(Isaiah 40:11, New Living Translation)
He holds us… “close to His heart”!
Thank God that our Good Shepherd gathers us when we stray. He feeds us. He guides us. And He protects us as His flock.
But more than anything else that we could ever want or ask, He holds us “close to His heart”!
The God who carried us yesterday, will carry us today. And the God who carries us today, will carry us tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after… all the way home!
“When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” (John 14:3, NLT)
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Ours is a labor of love. We have never asked anyone to support this ministry financially. We don’t sell merchandise. We don’t host advertising. We don’t solicit donations. We have never received any income through this site.
Christ is, and will always be, our sufficiency, meeting all of our needs.
But we have humbly asked, and do ask again, that our readers would generously support our ministry Partners in the Philippines, Student Life Organization, Inc.
God has given Co-Founders Ian Rustia and Anne Ruiz a clear vision and an open door to reach many in their nation, and beyond, with the love of Christ. They powerfully and faithfully demonstrate His love through outreaches to the needy, the marginalized, and the often forgotten… children and young people with disabilities and special needs, and their families.
SLOI has only been incorporated as a non-profit ministry for slightly more than a year, yet they have already produced much fruit for the kingdom of God. Grace and I consider it a privilege to share in their work, and we earnestly ask that you would join us in supporting their ministry through your prayers and giving.
PLEASE DO THESE THREE THINGS:
- Pray for the continued success of this ministry and that God would supply every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
- Check out and subscribe to the SLOI website to learn more about their latest outreaches and ministry events. You may do this by clicking on this link:
NEWS FLASH! The SLOI Newsletter is now featured on our site! Just click on the button found on the homepage!
- Please give generously to support this ministry. You may do so through the Paypal link to their newly opened ministry account:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/studentlifeinc2025
⁶ “Remember this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously, that blessings may come to someone will also reap generously and with blessings.
⁷ Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver whose heart is in his giving.
⁸ And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].
⁹ As it is written, he [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; he gives to the poor; his deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!”
(2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-9, AMPC)
Thank you! We pray that you will experience God’s richest blessings as you give freely and cheerfully in Jesus’ name!
Joe and Grace
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