Wiggle Room
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Since I was late for church, I took a seat in one of the back rows. Sitting there, I could see to the far end of a nearby pew and watch one of the
young mothers wrestling her eight-month-old son. He was very active, but I was impressed by how she held him. She did not constrict him or expect
him to sit quietly in her lap for that whole hour. She kept her arms around him to protect him from falling but still allowed him plenty of latitude.
He dropped a toy onto the floor and vainly reached for it, hanging precariously over her arms, and she steadied him with one hand until he gave
up the effort. Finally, he wore out and settled down in her arms for a nap.
The incident made me reflect upon how the Lord holds us so gently. After we gave our lives to Him, God did not require us to be robots; He gave us
room to make mistakes and to grow by them. While He gives us a desire to be our best for Him, He also gives us plenty of “wiggle room.” We do not
feel restricted or stifled. We are free! Yet, He is always there to shelter and protect us. As long as we are in His arms, we can rest assured
that He will keep a watchful eye over us and guard us from any harm.
It is wonderful to know that we are in the loving care of our heavenly Father. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us, but He never pulls us to
follow Him, or pushes us, or drags us. Rather, He leads us. Within the shelter of His encircling arms, there is liberty to “move” and still be
in His protection. There is nowhere else so safe or secure.