God Carries You - The Crosswalk Devotional - January 22
God Carries You
By Annie Yorty
“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4 NLT)
When my daughter was born with Down syndrome over thirty years ago, most of the literature I initially received painted a depressing picture of her future. The basics we take for granted seemed to be in question—good health, speech, cognition, walking, and even more. All would be delayed . . . or maybe would never develop. I’ve since learned the information was outdated, to say the least. Nevertheless, it is true that people with Down syndrome overcome many obstacles as they grow into the amazing people they are.
Because of low muscle tone and loose joint ligaments, Alyssa did not walk at the same time as her typically developing peers. How I stressed as we slogged through years of physical therapy! What if she never walked? How would we manage stairs? Shouldn’t she be able to run and play with other kids?
As a mom who desired nothing but the best for her child, I longed to see her walk independently. After all, as parents, we’re supposed to help our children grow into responsible, independent adults, right? And, to be honest, my arms, shoulders, and back screamed for relief from carrying her growing weight.
Over the years, I’ve learned much about the heart of my heavenly Father from parenting my children, but my human experience, in this case, does not correlate well to God. After I expended massive amounts of energy and time, Alyssa succeeded in walking without assistance. But God doesn’t teach us to walk without Him. In fact, He never expects us to walk on our own at all.
A popular poem called “Footprints in the Sand” (1939, Stephenson) inspires people to recognize how God carries them during the most difficult times of their lives. I appreciate its sentiment, but it gives the impression that God merely helps us when we run out of our own resources. God corrects this misunderstanding in Isaiah.
“I will be your God throughout your lifetime . . . I will carry you along and save you” (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).
Unlike our human parenting goals, our Father’s plan for His children is dependence. He did not design us to grow up and walk without His support. He doesn’t intend for us to do life on our own until we run into trouble that’s overwhelming. But we often buck against this type of continual care. The idea of complete dependence goes against the grain of the American spirit. It runs contrary to human pride.
In the days of Moses, God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Then they thought they could take care of themselves. As a result, they earned the consequence of wandering in the wilderness for decades. Recounting their history, Moses said, “You saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, on all of the road which you have walked until you came to this place” (Deuteronomy 1:31 NASB).
We must humble ourselves and admit we are needy.
God continually carries you throughout your life. Do you, like me, sometimes squirm in His arms, itching to get down and walk on your own? I know from experience my self-reliance never ends well. I wind up face-down in the dirt, blubbering over skinned knees and regretting my decision to jump out of Father’s arms.
That’s when God scoops me up once again. He soothes my hurts and comforts me with the affirmation of His constant love. Cradled safely in His care, I breathe a sigh of relief. This is where I belong.
Sometimes I wonder how God holds the weight of me—and all my baggage—for so long without growing tired. I know, that’s finite human understanding. Because my own body grew tired for those years I carried Alyssa, I suppose that God, too, grows tired. Then I remember God’s wonderful promise from Isaiah.
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding." (Isaiah 40:28 NLT)
Friend, your Father has a niche in the crook of His arm where you fit perfectly. Settle in and enjoy His constant care.
Intersecting Faith and Life: What beliefs about God or yourself prevent you from relaxing in your Father’s arms?
Further Reading:
Isaiah 46:1-13, “Cast All Your Cares on Him”
From Ignorance to Bliss: God’s Heart Revealed Through Down Syndrome by Annie Yorty
What it Means to Cast Your Cares on the Lord
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PhotoAlto/EricAudras
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