Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 (NLT)

“I’m tiiiiirrrrrred.” Any of us have heard those words of pseudo agony if we’ve ever had children. Usually it comes close to the end of a fun day at the zoo, a long hike in the park or one of those shopping marathons you vow you’ll never take them on again!

They aren’t just giving you that information for your own well-being. It’s a signal, a request in hiding. If you don’t respond in the way they expect you’ll hear the more direct approach, “Carry me!”

You scoop them up in your arms and depending on the day or time they are soon relaxed, enjoying the rest of the trip, or even deciding your shoulder is a pretty cool place for a nap. A stroller would be easier for you, but how many times have you seen one parent pushing an empty stroller while the other has a sleeping child on their shoulder? How many times have you been that parent? Why is it? Because we all need at times to be carried.

What’s true for children physically is true for all of us spiritually and emotionally. Sure, there are times we may need to suck it up, to push on, to ‘run with endurance the race set before us’, but sometimes the race is just too much. Sometimes the obstacles are too large, the pain too unbearable. We need to be carried.

We need to feel the arms of Jesus around us. We need to feel the security of he hold upon our lives, to know that we will get through this. Maybe not on our own power, but his power is so much greater.

Your need to be carried can be the result of your own mistakes and failures. He’ll carry you.

Your need may be the result of abuse or attack by others, even well-meaning friends and family. He’ll carry you.

Your need may be fueled by loneliness. He’ll carry you.

Your need may be rooted in your past, a past that keeps haunting you. (How could I do that? What was I thinking?) He’ll carry you.

Jesus doesn’t carry you because you are weak (even though you are) he carries you because that’s what loving parents do when the journey is too great. When you are in his arms you have time to rest, time to regroup, time to bask in the safety of his presence.

For those days when you can’t go on, rest in his arms. He’s waiting to carry you through this.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus. I’m tired. I know that the things I’m going through are largely my fault. I know I live in an evil world full of people and things intent on hurting me. Right now I can’t take another step. I want to feel your arms of love and security around me so I can rest in you. Thank you. Amen.