Heart Thoughts from Helen

"Holding God's Hand"

“I am with you.” (Haggai 1:13)
“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand… (Isaiah 41:13)

Boaz is a hand holder. Our nine-year old grandson also likes precision. He invited me to draw with him last evening. I am not an artist and the very thought of a blank sheet of paper (unless it has lines and a writing instrument) empties my brain. Brown eyed Boaz and I, however, took turns drawing.

In his grown up voice, he said, “Nana, you draw anything you want around the sides and then I’ll draw. We’ll take turns. Then, in the middle we’ll put a big picture.”

I drew the moon as I’d remembered seeing it early the morning before in the western sky as it made its way down, down, down, out of sight. Boaz drew the sun in yellow with red splashing light. I drew a house and he reminded me to put eaves on it. His parents are completing the building of a home.

As we sat on the couch waiting for fish to grill I looked around the room and drew a box. He drew a rainbow in all shades of color. I drew a kitty, because they have two new ones. He drew a much better kitty, a fatter one. When we had circled the paper with our ‘art’, I asked him, “What should we draw in the middle?” Immediately, he said, “Let’s draw you and me together, Nana.” I smiled as I drew my stick figure and he drew his….but as he finished, he connected our hands in the picture. Now, I like that!!

God our Father also likes togetherness. This morning I studied Haggai a little bit. In Haggai 1:13, God told his prophet to assure the people: “I am with you” after telling them, in essence to reorder their priorities. Being ‘with’ my grandchildren is a priority. Apparently, it is important to them.

God our Father also is a hand holder. Isaiah 41:13 tells me, “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear’.”
Boaz measures himself against me each time we’re together to see if he is as tall as I am. He has reached my hairline so it won’t be long before he’s taller than me. He knows the importance of togetherness. And he likes to hold hands…and so do I.

Give careful thought to your ways. God is with you. No telling what sort of ‘art’ you will leave in the ‘heart… thoughts’ of those you cherish. Maybe it will end up on someone’s fridge, like ours did.