One of my favorite verses is Psalm 27:10, “When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” I love the way the King James Version put states that the Lord will, “take me up.” That conjures up the image of a kind, cuddly granny who pulls you into her lap and rocks you until your heart is calm and your emotional tank is full of comfort.
I didn’t have a granny around or even a dad after I was five, and my mom stayed busy and angry about it most of the time. I hardly have a memory of her nurturing my siblings or me. But there have been times in my life when the presence of God was so palpable, I could feel him reassuring me in a way far beyond any parent could. When parents can’t do the job of caring for their kids like God designs, He steps in to take up the slack. That’s what this story illustrates.
Suzanne made an appointment for counseling when the doctors informed her that her breast cancer was back. At only thirty-three, she was dealing with this challenge again. She battled cancer and won in her early twenties just after her beautiful daughter, Katie, was born.
“I made it through cancer last time fighting everyday just to get out of bed,” she informed me. “The strong chemo they gave me, kicked me to the curb every morning, but I had to keep going because Katie needed her mom. I trusted God to get me through when I didn’t know what was ahead of me. If I had known at the time the places my cancer would take me, I would have imploded. Now I know exactly what I’m facing and it’s much harder to muster the faith,” she lamented.
“Let’s talk about your worst fears. Speaking them out helps to take the power away. Speaking them out to God brings his power to us,” I counseled.
We spent the rest of the hour looking at specific worries she had about her future. We found her Freeing Three, three scriptures that would bring her strength. (Footnote: From Healing the Hurts that Are Holding You Back. The Freeing Threediscusses how to find 3 verses that address your need. Put them in 3 places and read them 3 times a day for 3 weeks.) Then we agreed to meet each week to shore up her faith during this difficult time.
A couple of Sundays later, I sat in church several rows behind Suzanne. Sitting to her left was her mother, Lois, and to her right was her precious six-year-old, Katie. It was a particularly moving worship service, so it didn’t surprise me that both Suzanne and Lois had tears streaming down their cheeks. My heart went out to the young mother facing such a formidable diagnosis. I prayed for her and her family as she wept.
In an amazing mother moment, I watched as Lois reached out, wrapped her arm around Suzanne, pulling her close. As Suzanne rested peacefully against her mother, the look on her face was identical to the look on her little girl, Katie’s face. It said, “I’m safe here. I’m okay while I’m in my mother’s arms.”
In an instant, I watched as Suzanne was transported back to a time when mom’s very presence made anything better. As I prayerfully observed this sacred moment, my response was something I didn’t expect at all. From some regressive place deep within my soul an overwhelming feeling ambushed me and the thought that overtook my mind was: I’ve never experienced a mother’s love like that, and I never will. I burst into tears and looked for a way to run out of the sanctuary and deal with my consuming emotions.
Then right away, I heard the Lord’s still small voice, “I’m here for you. You have my lap now and you will have it forever.”
I sobbed from my soul as the worship band continued to play. Lost in prayer, in my mind’s eye, I could see Jesus standing before me with his arms outstretched. As I came toward him in that moment, I could feel him pull me in his lap, stroke my head and say, “It’s okay. Daddy’s gottcha now. You’re gonna be all right.”
That wasn’t the last time I crawled into the Lord’s lap to find the comfort and strength I needed to do life. I may not have had a mother who was capable of nurturing me, but I have an Abba Father who is available 24/7/365.
When was the last time you crawled into His lap for comfort? Perhaps it’s time.