Even when we don't think we need God - Deuteronomy 31:6 with a story, a song, an observation and a prayer

SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 31:6 (The Message)
"Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you."

A STORY:
Justin was a little boy. One night his father went into Justin’s bedroom to tell him goodnight. He leaned over to kiss Justin goodnight, but Justin simply rolled away. “I don’t love you,” he said. The father added quickly, “But I love you.” At 4:00 AM Justin had a nightmare. He came down the hall to his parent’s bedroom and stood at the foot of the bed. Problem: If he went to his mother’s side and he wasn’t sick she would simply send him back to his bed. Finally, he went to his dad’s side and climbed into bed and snuggled up in the arms of his father. Safe. But, before he slipped off to sleep Justin said, “But, I still don’t love you.”

A SONG by Fannie Crosby:
Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest.
Hark! ‘tis the voice of angels, borne in a song to me.
Over the fields of glory, over the jasper sea.

Refrain:
Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast
There by his love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest.

Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations, sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow, free from my doubts and fears:
Only a few more trials, only a few more tears!

Refrain:

Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge, Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages, ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is over;
Wait till I see the morning break on the golden shore.

Refrain:


AN OBSERVATION:
The little boy in the story is just like you and me. We say to God, in various little ways, “I don’t love you” or “I don’t love you as much as you wish I loved you” or “I don’t need you all the time in my life” or any other variation of this concept. And, yet when things go bump-in-the-night we turn to the secure arms of a caring and loving Heavenly Father. As we drift off safe in that security of knowing that our Heavenly Father loves us and has saved us we whisper … “But I still can go it alone in this old world.” The soft gentle rocking we experience is the gentle laughter of God because he knows better.

PRAYER:
Thanks for being there, Heavenly Father, thank you for caring for us and keeping us safe when the nightmares of life come our way. Thank you for the safety you provide even when we think we don’t need you; in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.