Leaning

Little Joshua had such a busy Christmas. Keeping all your grown-ups entertained is really hard work when you are only just one year old!  To begin with, daddy wanted you to sit beside him on the floor and help him open presents.  That was quite interesting, especially the crackly paper and the gift tags, but then you needed to check what was happening in the kitchen.  To and fro you bustled, making sure everyone was happy.  What a relief every now and then to take a little rest, simply leaning up against daddy or mummy and feeling their strong arms around you…

What a blessing to know that our heavenly Father’s everlasting arms are always underneath, supporting and strengthening us whenever we are weary or worried, anxious or troubled.  And to know the dear Saviour whose invitation is to ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’  (Matthew 11: 28)

But let us remember that Jesus also said, ‘Apart from me, you can do nothing.’  (John 15:5)  It is not only in difficult times that we need to trust Him, rest in Him, and lean on Him!

‘We rest on Thee’, our Shield and our Defender!

We go not forth alone against the foe;

Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,

‘We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.’  (2 Chronicles 14:11)

 

Yes, ‘in Thy Name’, O Captain of salvation!

In Thy dear Name, all other names above;

Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,

Our Prince of glory, and our King of love.

 

‘We go’ in faith, our own great weakness feeling,

And needing more each day Thy grace to know;

Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing:

‘We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.’

 

‘We rest on Thee’, our Shield and our Defender!

Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise

When passing through the gates of pearly splendour,

Victors, we rest with Thee through endless days.                      

                                                          Edith Cherry

 

Who is this, coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

                                                                                      Song of Songs 8:5