EL ROI...THE GOD WHO SEES ME

Grip of Grace

BY LISA HATHAWAY

As I am constantly in a heart posture of seeking the Lord, I am keenly aware of how the enemy likes to look at what God is doing, ready to attack. Even though he attempts to seek and destroy God’s children, our God is so much stronger and will always conquer evil. When He is holding us, His grip is more excellent than anything else. Walking with Him in confidence and grace is where God wants us. Is that always easy? No, it is not. We have daily battles with the flesh, especially in our minds. Our thoughts, continually waging war on us, can control a significant part of our lives if we let them.

But God reminds us that no matter what we face, He is so much bigger and is our protector on the journey, even when we struggle. He knows us, and He will never leave us. A passage of scripture that has been on repeat in my mind and heart is the parable of the lost sheep.

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:12-14 ESV).

These words should give us such hope. The shepherd left the ninety-nine to rescue the one—which is exactly what God does. God sees and rescues us no matter how far we stray. In fact, when we are seemingly stranded in the valley, God does His best work, gathering us in His arms. I am thankful for the pain in the valley because out of those trials and tribulations comes wholeness. And in that wholeness, what we learned and endured in the valley makes God’s love and grace that much sweeter—often leading us to a mountain-top experience. The valley prunes us and allows us to see things in a much different light.

God, my eyes are more open to your small and intricate touches on my life. The words from a stranger, the acts of kindness, and the affirmations that only come from you are more prevalent in my life. You are in all the details of my life. In the valley, there is hurt so deep, but as I climb to the top step by step, following the sound of your voice, the hurt lessens. Your healing hand is constantly on my heart; you never take it off. Your grip holds my hand tighter. I need you with me as I climb the hill. You hold me like a gentle father holds his child; you never let me slip. I grasp you tighter to avoid falling or slipping back into the valley. The grip of your grace and the sweetness of your love fills my deepest wound.

Thank you, Jesus, for the beautiful, complex, treacherous valley. Because of it, I have known you deeper and realized your unconditional love for me. I now recognize that I am WORTH your grip of grace. I am all YOU say I am. I am your beloved, and I am YOUR own. You care for your own; you never leave us or forsake us. The journey is not easy. It is challenging. But you are taking me to a beautiful place where I can always feel the grip of your grace.

Lisa Hathaway resides in Lexington, NC, with her husband, Everett, and their children. As a special needs mom, breast cancer survivor, and survivor of a tragic car accident, suffering has been intertwined in her story, and she yearns for others to experience God’s sweetness through their difficulties. Lisa has an MBA and is pursuing her Clinical and Mental Health Counseling degree. She works at The Oaks Therapeutic Community and is an integral part of the WWL leadership team.