Daddy, Carry Me!

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s a little boy, it was sometimes hard to get around, especially if it required walking!  Somehow, my little footsteps were never able to keep up with daddy’s. For every step he took, I had to take at least four so, as you can imagine, our progress was a bit slow.  But daddy was patient. He held my hand and waited for me to take four steps to his one and then we would do it all over again.  We slowly, but surely, ambled up Main Street toward his place of business or to buy something at Nell Beam’s store.

But when I grew tired or when he just wanted to have fun, daddy would pick me up and carry me.  He would hold me high over his head or put me on his shoulders and away we would go at, what was to me, break-neck speed!  I was no burden to carry and daddy drew as much delight from this as I did.

But daddy didn’t always carry me into places that were fun.  Sometimes he carried me into hospital wards for an extended stay while doctors operated to repair my kidneys, my heart, or my leg.  At these particular times, the ride in daddy’s arms wasn’t always pleasant and I didn’t fully understand why he would carry me into certain places.  I didn’t realize until I was much older just how difficult these carries were for him.

The Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, understood the idea of being carried away to an unpleasant place.  The Children of Israel were carried off to Babylon for seventy years of captivity.  The Babylonian army took them from their homeland and resettled them in a place that was foreign, hostile, and completely unfamiliar to them.  Yet, God was there and his instructions through Jeremiah were meant to bring comfort and encouragement to his people.

In Jeremiah 29:7 we find these words, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” There are several important lessons packed into this small passage from Jeremiah.  Please notice that God has carried his children into exile.  Although they are not at home, although the circumstances in which they find themselves are unpleasant, challenging, and confusing, he has led them there.  It is impossible to carry someone without touching them.  Even in exile, God’s hand is there.

The Children of Israel are also told to pray for the city where they are held captive.  This seems almost impossible to believe but notice the end of the passage.  If the city prospers, God’s people will prosper.  It is the difficult circumstances of life that God uses to grow us and teach us more about himself.

Wherever you are today in your walk with God, please know that he is there with you.  He has not forgotten you, he has not abandoned you; he has carried you.  He is aware of your present circumstances and his promise is that every situation you face, no matter how unpleasant, challenging, or difficult it may be, will be used for his glory.  Won’t you let God carry you today?