ForgottenWoman

Take me by the hand and walk with me… I don’t care if it’s through a field, down a walking trail or along the beach. There is nothing that I have dreamed of more or enjoy more than walking hand in hand with someone who cherishes me. I’ve not been too proud to beg for this kind of time – and I’ve never really thought too much about why it means so much to me until recently. 

Think about it with me. As a lady, having my hand securely inside the hand of a man who has chosen to grasp mine and walk with me feels safe. It feels like I belong.  It feels comfortable. It feels chosen. It’s most often thought of in the context of “romantic” relationships but a few months ago I was walking through a theme park with my grandchildren and one of the girls walked up beside me and took my hand. As we strolled hand in hand for the next few minutes I felt the tears well up – I felt loved. I felt wanted. I even felt safe with my hand in the hand of a 12 year old girl. The moments we walked like this, we chatted comfortably, we walked in silence for a bit and we laughed and acted silly. You better believe I didn’t let go until she was ready to move on. 

At two different points in my life I have had to learn to look to Almighty God to be my ‘husband.’ Now, let me clarify very quickly and say that my relationship with my Heavenly Father is nothing like a romantic human relationship. In fact, some of the “worship” songs of today make me extremely uncomfortable when you can very easily exchange the name of Jesus for any human male you may be singing about. My Heavenly Father is Holy, is Righteous, is Just, is Awesome, is Sovereign: is beyond my comprehension. And yet: He says that He is the Father to the fatherless and He is the husband to the widow. I found myself widowed by the death of my first husband in 1987 and then in 2023 I found myself again “husband-less” by the walking away of my second husband.  In both of these seasons, my only recourse is to fall on my face before Almighty God and ask Him to be my Protector, my Provider, my Father, my Comforter, my Sustainer.

Each year I choose a word or a phrase to focus on for the year. In 2023 my phrase was Saturate to Imitate. I’m sure I’ll be writing about this in the near future, but today I want to focus on my phrase for 2024. I have chosen “Walking with my hand in His!” My study on January 1 began in John 15… Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.  Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” 

Abiding in Christ sounds all proper – maybe a little too proper for me to break down on a daily basis; so I am calling it “Walking with my hand in His.” The question is, HOW? If you have been a believer for a few years, then you’ve heard the words QUIET TIME or DEVOTIONS or GOD AND I TIME… and those are good habits to be sure. But, I know for a fact that I can have a quiet time first thing each morning, or my personal devotions as some call it, or pause for a God and I time during the day and when I go about my “daily life” I can very quickly begin to think, act, have attitudes, actions and reactions that are very much like those who didn’t pause for their quiet time that day! The truth is that you and I are but dust. We are so very human. We will continue to battle our own flesh until we are with Jesus! Add to that the fact that we have a very real enemy who seeks to destroy us… we really need to figure out how to abide – beyond our few quiet moments alone with God each day. After all; for many of us, our world is very loud, outside influences are very strong, our own flesh is very weak. So, I’m here to scream as loudly as you will hear me: We need to ABIDE in Him. We need to grab His hand and hold on for dear life! 

I know some of you. You’ve had a fleeting thought while reading this. You may have even hunkered down and let that thought ruminate! You are very well versed in Scripture. You have years of Biblical education. You have traveled many miles since you placed your faith in Christ for your salvation. And because of these facts; you’re a little unhappy with my declaration that your quiet time isn’t enough. You’re a little unhappy with my insinuating that you may want to consider joining me in this deliberate grabbing of His hand going into this year. Please don’t be offended. Hear me out. 

Most of us have in our possession these little things called smart phones. I sat and laughed the other day when I thought about how just a few short years ago, I didn’t have one. Do you know what I do with my phone every day? I research. I pay bills. I send money to friends and family. I talk to others. I advertise. I read my Bible. I shop. I check the weather. I play games. (only to keep my mind sharp, of course) and I build businesses with my phone. I’m pretty sure you do many of these things with your phone as well. But here’s the thing. I have learned well how to do all of these things with this small computer. I find myself picking it up and accomplishing good things while waiting in line, while sitting in waiting rooms, while sitting on bleachers waiting for games to start, while in a restaurant waiting for a friend to arrive. Just last week I was at a basketball tournament and we were between games. I picked up my phone to work – because there are people who count on me to do my job, ya know? And guess what? My phone had NO POWER! It was useless to me. My knowledge of how to work my business from my phone was useless to me. My years of experience in using my phone was useless to me. Without my power source – it was no good. The same is true of my knowledge of Scripture. The same is true of my life experiences. If I am not connected to THE POWER source – my ‘branch’ will wither. There will be no fruit. I will fail. I will respond and react in ways that harm the name of the Christ I am supposed to represent. THIS is why I am determined to put my hand in His and not let go! THIS is why I am determined to stay rooted and grounded and abiding in Christ!

Abiding. STAYING THERE! I am seeking unbroken communion with the Lord so that He is continually equipping me to live radically in Christ. When I’m truly walking hand in hand with Him, I am comfortable; I am safe; I am protected; I am secure, and I have no doubt that I am loved. He guides me. He teaches me. He carries me when I am at my weakest. Abiding… staying right there, closely hunkered down under His mighty wings. But again… HOW? 

It’s a decision. It’s intentional. It’s talking to Him while going through my day. It’s turning my thoughts to Him when someone says or does something that hurts me. It’s deciding moment by moment that HE is The One I will draw near to. It’s driving down the road and feeling the stress of life begin to well up within me and forcing myself to just tell Him… “God, I’m hurting! Please hear me.” It’s even seeing or hearing something funny and simply saying, ”Did you see that, Jesus?” ”Did you hear that?” ”Isn’t that funny?” It’s learning to be comfortable recognizing that He is real! He is with you! He promises to hear you. TRUST Him. Take Him at His Word. 

In the Bible, Bethel is a symbol of communion with God. Some scholars say it actually means House of God. We think of the Church (where we meet with other believers) as the House of God, right? And we gather there to fellowship and to worship and to learn of Him… In the Bible, Ai represents the world. You and I know all to well what the world is in our lives… it’s that place where we live every single day. As believers it is easy to fall into the habit of having our “God Time” at Bethel (weekly church service) and then living our lives in Ai… (in the world every other day.) In Genesis, we read of Abraham pitching a tent between Bethel and Ai. I love the picture of him pitching his tent and worshiping there. How am I “pitching my tent” this year? I found a “largish” bag and I have a Bible, some notebooks, pens, markers and glasses in this bag. This bag goes with me throughout my home – so I can grab it at will (even in the noise of my life!) It also goes with me when I leave the house – so that I have it all at my fingertips whenever I find myself with moments to fill – waiting rooms, coffee shops, car lines, etc. If I am abiding, then I’m grabbing these moments/opportunitites to renew my mind, to talk to my Father, to keep the communion continuous. It’s a decision. It’s a choice. It’s a priority. 

Let me close with a few thoughts. 

*We all know the story of Mary and Martha. Martha had a conversation with Jesus because she was concerned about what Mary was doing – actually more concerned about what Mary was not doing. Jesus was very clear in His answer… Mary was doing what was most needful. She was abiding with Jesus! It is so easy for us to get busy in the doing – in our own strength and in our own power! Busily serving the Lord is not wrong – but sitting at the feet of Jesus is a prerequisite to that busy-ness! Grab His hand and hold on when you’re resting and when you’re working!

*Abiding in Him is a constant awareness of His presence at all times. Believe me: if we think of ourselves as holding onto His hand in every moment of every day, we will speak differently, we will react differently, we will choose differently!

*Abiding in Him is a careful consultation with Him and His Word about all that affects us. Leaning on our own understanding will be a thing of the past. 

*Abiding in Him leads to fullness of joy. Real joy. 

Won’t you choose to walk with your hand in His this year?