arms

“The eternal God is a dwelling place (or refuge), And underneath are the everlasting arms”
Deuteronomy 33:27a

I know it may sound corny or mushy, but sometimes I just need a hug. It’s a little bit lonely in LA, and I look at my cork-board full of pictures and wish one of those people were with me to just put their arms around me.
The last time I felt that, I remembered Pastor John saying how sometimes we just want a hug from God, and he pondered “What would a hug from God feel like?”

When I read the verse above, I had to look at it again.
…underneath are everlasting arms… ‘underneath what?’ …dwelling place…

God is my refuge; there is rest in Him; there is safety. With everything going on around me, He is my shelter, and it’s not just that He’s keeping me safe; underneath that shelter are His arms. Not just any flabby arms (like mine), but everlasting ones: arms that will continue to comfort me, carry me, give me strength for the next day, no, the next moment.
Whether I’m in my room feeling weak and lonely, or I’m at work where I’m being harassed by the customers and the colossal mess, fighting to be patient and keep calm, or I’m trying to keep my cool with my parents, struggling to keep discouraging words down, and scrounging to find encouraging, respectful ones, His arms are there carrying me, holding me so I don’t fly to pieces, giving me strength to obey Him.

As I found ease and joy in this truth, I also found that sin shattered that comfort. How could I reflect on His arms surrounding me when I deliberately disobeyed Him, and am refusing to repent and return to Him. There is no peace… Our sweet fellowship has been broken…
So He’s taught me my motive for repentance, and how sweet it is that He promises to forgive if I confess…