Today was a scorcher, a whopping ninety plus degrees Fahrenheit! My children and I headed to a splash pad by 10 a.m. to meet some friends and stay cool. After all the water time, we made our way over to the adjacent playground area for awhile. All seemed well, until I noticed someone was missing. I was pushing Laurelle and Davin on the swings; Bennett was with us at times too, and then would go to the park to climb and slide. My oldest son Luke, on the other hand, was out of sight.
At first, I assumed he could have gone to the bathroom and just didn’t tell me. This tamed my fear a bit, although my heart still lacked peace.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore, and rounded up my three children and went on a mission: find Luke. As we darted here and there with quick eye glances towards every possible corner in the small play areas, Luke was visibly nowhere. My first instinct was to turn to my own kids and say, “I’m worried. We need to pray right now, ‘Jesus, help us find him.'” I then ran to my friend in tears and we found two park-patrol officers who were there to help. As I’m describing to them what he was wearing, terrible thoughts of abduction are running through my mind. Fear is overtaking me. This can’t be happening, right? Every second without him seemed endless.
Within a minute of walking beyond the splash pad towards a pavilion in the backdrop, I spotted Luke. He was sitting down with a few other boys playing with rocks. Emotional REST for me had come! My tall seven-year-old was completely hidden from my view, crouched down, but SAFE.
When there is fear and unrest in my soul, who do I run to? I ultimately knew it was wise to seek outside assistance to find Luke when things were looking bleak. However, before I sought a person, God was there to remind me I first needed to call on HIM directly.
I once heard a speaker share how atheists/those who reject God still call out His name in times of distress, whether it be “Jesus,” “Oh God,” or a swear word mixed in there too! It’s innate in us to cry for Our Creator when we need help. If you believe in Him, God calls you His child, and says He listens to all your petitions (John 1:12). Don’t rush to your phone when your Heavenly Father is there, waiting to hear from you! Oh how often do we miss the opportunity to grow in intimacy with the One who knows us better than anyone and the Sustain-er of the universe!
Our first inclination to cling to God speaks of our desperate need for Him to be our rescuer in everything: the little and the big stuff that comes at us in life. And, let us never forget the ultimate rescue: the cross. Jesus died and then three days later conquered death, offering all who ask to be forgiven and believe in Him an ETERNAL HOME in heaven someday! AMAZING grace!
It’s so basic, yet we miss it. Let’s not devalue the GREAT GOD we can call upon, who is available 24/7 and longs to answer. Who do you run to? Practice running to God, reading His Word (The Bible) and praying before trying to fix things without Him. Listen to the song Come To Jesus today, a sweet and gentle reminder of who to run to.
In the comments, share a time when you needed rescuing this week, or reflect on a time when you cried out to God and He rescued you. Be a TREE of HOPE, pointing others to Our Rescuer!
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
What a great reminder to prioritize God in your day! The Bible talks about the morning for spending time with Him, and I have found that to be true. If I can start my day off with prayer and reading the Word of God (Psalm 5:3, Mark 1:35), I remember where my help and strength come from! God bless you and thank you for your comments, dear friend.
I’m glad Luke is okay. I can only imagine how scary that experience was.
It’s a great reminder to make sure we turn to God first, for he is always there for us. I realize that I don’t always do this, and I need to make sure that I’m setting God as my priority, developing our relationship daily so that He is naturally the one I turn to in fear, rejoicing, and all aspects of my life.
Katie, glad I'm not the only one who has experienced this on multiple occasions! Yes, we know we should cry out to Our Heavenly Father, the One who controls it all. God bless you and thank you for those words of wisdom!
I know the fear of a lost child because one of my sons is a wanderer and he has been separated from me a few times in different places. Thankfully, we have been reunited pretty quickly because I will hear a loud and distinctive, "Mommy!!!" wailing from a few aisles away. It's instinctive of our children to cry out for us when they need us most, so what a great reminder to call out to our all-powerful God in times of fear or distress. He knows and hears our voices!
After the incident occurred, I told the park-patrol officers, "Thank you, and I'm glad it ended this way rather than another." I thank God that He does listen and rescue us. Ultimately, no matter what tragedies occur in this lifetime, my eternity has been secured by Him!
Thank you for your words and love, dear Marcia!
My dear first and foremost I am so grateful to God that nothing happen and Luke is fine. Yes, Krystal in moments of despair God is the rock and our strength. Thank you for sharing this experience and the promesas we have in Psalm 46:1 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Sending much love and care always.