My Father's Hand

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your love, O LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought joy to my soul.
Psalm 94:18, 19

A friend had come to visit, and we decided we had time before nightfall to hike the Chasm Lake trail in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. My two sons and our friend, Paul, began the hike. It is a great climb through the trees and then above the tree line, over a boulder field to the lake. We rested along the shore of Chasm Lake and ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as we watched the sun slip away behind the mountains.

We waited until the sun set and then decided it was time to head back down the trail from Chasm Lake to our car. If you hike much, you know when the sun goes down in the mountains it can get dark and cold pretty quickly. As we began the trip down, we had to climb back across a small boulder field. I got a few yards ahead of my youngest son, Eric. He was 7 or 8 at the time. Eric called to me in a frightened voice, “Dad, I’m afraid.” A few seconds later he said, “We’re going to die up here.” Well, Eric had hiked with me enough to know that I didn’t really know what I was doing, and it was a real possibility that we might die up there. I climbed back over a few boulders, helped him through the boulder field, and then held his hand as we walked back down the trail.

On the rest of the journey Eric laughed and sang, and there wasn’t a hint of fear in his voice. The trail was still as dark; it was just as cold and the path still unfamiliar. Everything had changed for my son, though—Eric had hold of his dad’s hand and that was all he needed. He just needed to know his dad had hold of him.

There are times on my journey when I am afraid. The boulders are too rough, the path is unfamiliar, and sometimes the trail is too dark. I become pretty convinced I’m not going to make it. Itis in those moments that God draws near to me. He extends his hand. He comes up close so I know I don’t have to do this alone. All I have to do is take his hand.

The trail may still be difficult, the way unclear, and it is possible it will be night for quite awhile yet. But all I need is to take my Father’s hand and know that he has been down this path before. I can trust him. I can find strength in him. I can find peace for my journey. All Eric needed was his father’s hand, and all I need is my heavenly Father’s hand.  

—Rick Rusaw

For Further Thought

Who has supported you when you were on a difficult trail? What were the specific ways in which they helped you? Have you ever supported another during a tough time?

How does your perspective on hard times change when you think about God walking with you, holding your hand? Reflect on this image and write about your thoughts and feelings.