Hugging!

[09/10/2008 "teEn-MAIL"]

HUGGING!

I am blessed to be in a congregation of "huggers"! Hugging is good. The hugs tell me I am accepted and loved. Sometimes those hugs are gripping manly hugs while others are a bit more gentle, but all seem to convey the same message.

When I think about children giving their parents or other adults a hug, it is not quite as easy as what we might give each other. A child might be stooped down to or picked up in order for their tiny arms to reach around an adult's neck. Perhaps we have all seen a child hugging tightly to the leg of a parent. Since their arms are too small to wrap around the whole person, they hug or HOLD ON TIGHT to the part they are able to get their arms around.

The great God we serve loves us tremendously. Through various life experiences we may sense His loving embrace more at some moments than at others. But how do we EMBRACE GOD? When we consider the immenseness of God we might rightfully acknowledge the difficulty of wrapping our tiny human arms around His whole Being. However, even though there are aspects of God difficult to completely wrap our mind around, as His children we can still find comfort in what we are able to HOLD ONTO. In that HOLDING we should find great comfort and strength.

The Hebrew writer encouragingly exhorted. . .
"(23) Let us HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE without wavering, for HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL." ( Hebrews 10:23 ESV)

and . . .

"(17) So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, (18) so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to HOLD FAST TO THE HOPE set before us." ( Hebrews 6:17-18 ESV)

Embracing the trustworthiness of God ought to bring us a great sense of security in life. When there is much around us we may not understand, HOLDING FAST to a hope based on His steadfast promises should provide a great sense of comfort. May we continue to HOLD TIGHTLY to the aspects of God we are able to as we continue to grow up in trusting Him more.

Have a great day CONFIDENTLY GRIPPING THE GREATNESS OF GOD!
Carl

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