holds _your

He Holds Your Hand, by Gini Kittle

Last fall, my daughter Anna and I decided to run in a half marathon. But this wasn’t just your “nice,” run-of-the-mill race; it included a section of trail-running in the middle of the course.

This past winter we began training so we’d be ready for the race by spring. As part of our preparation, we ran on the actual racecourse every Saturday, adding mileage each week so we’d get use to the trail running. Part of the trails included a three-mile “labyrinth” — a narrow path that wound round and round with uneven terrain, sharp turns, tree branches sticking out, and roots crossing the path. It was very difficult to run and caused almost everyone, including me, to stumble during training.

When race day approached, I asked my husband to pray that I wouldn’t fall. I wanted to finish the race without taking a tumble in the “labyrinth.” So he prayed for me, and off I went to the race. What he didn’t tell me was that while he was praying the Lord gave him a specific Scripture for me, “When you fall, you shall not be hurled head long, for the Lord is the one who holds your hand” (Psalm 37:24). When I got into the “labyrinth,” which was around mile 6 of the race, I was feeling good and not at all apprehensive. About a third of the way through, though, all of a sudden I tripped and started to fall forward. As I began reaching out to lessen my fail, my body suddenly just bounced back up in mid-air! It was as if someone miraculously grabbed me and pulled me upright.

While it may not always seem so sudden and dramatic, Father God does that for each one of us as His children. We all face a variety of issues that threaten to make us fall. But God is able — even as we stumble — to lay hold of us and keep us from falling. The next time you begin to stumble, remember that the powerful hand of God is holding your hand and walking you through life! The One who holds all time in His hands is also the One who holds your hand, so let Him do the holding and you do the trusting.