Things are a little topsy-turvy at my house this week. Some of my family is out of town, meaning I’ve been spending extra quality time with my 2-year-old niece. Our church also has VBS going on, so I have less hours in the day as I try to help with that. (I say “try” because it didn’t feel particularly helpful when all I was doing was chasing said 2-year-old.) But it’s summer and that’s how things go, and you make the most of it along the way.

That’s why at 9:30 last night I loaded a car I don’t usually drive with trash to take to the dumpster. My 2-year-old companion didn’t want to be left behind, much preferring to go on a nighttime adventure with Auntie than stay inside with her daddy.

I buckled her into her car seat by the light of my phone’s flashlight (because an old car means no interior lights), and off we went. It’s only 0.2 miles to the dumpster, but we were hardly out of the driveway before the little one declared, “I’m scared.” I tried to verbally assure her that everything was alright, but she needed even more comfort. “Hold my hand, Auntie.”

It’s not the easiest thing to drive a car while holding the hand of a toddler strapped into a rear-facing car seat, but we did it. I stretched my right hand backward, and she put her left hand up by her shoulder. We held the connection for just a few seconds, and that was enough to help her know everything really was okay.

Don’t you feel like asking the same of the Lord sometimes? “Hold my hand, Jesus.” When we’re scared or in a strange situation or feel like all we can do is look backward, it sure would be nice to be able to call out to Him and feel His hand gripping ours. But even when we can’t feel Him, we accept by faith that He is there, guiding the way when we can’t see where we’re going.

Here’s a promise in Isaiah 41:13, “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, ‘Fear not; I will help thee.'”

After a pretty rough stretch of months, I can say that I’ve felt God’s hand holding mine in some very real ways recently. He has made a way when there shouldn’t have been a way. He’s prompted me by the Holy Spirit over some small matters, reminding me I can trust Him to do the same in the big matters.

Sometimes life can seem like we’re in an old vehicle full of trash on a nearly moonless night. But just like my little one had confidence that when she said, “Hold my hand, Auntie,” I would meet her in her need, so we can rely on Jesus. He will help us. He will give us what we need for that moment, and on and on we’ll go one moment at a time until we are safely through the darkness.

Don’t lose sight of this. There’s no time He will leave us without His presence. “Hold my hand, Jesus.”

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Top image by Hasty Words from Pixabay