On a Friday evening several years ago one of our  then 9 week old puppies got his foot caught and managed to fracture it.  Needless to say this was a great trauma for one so young.  So I held him through the night.   As he lay on my chest he was calmed and comforted and able to sleep.  I didn’t get a lot of sleep, but he did fine.  That Sunday morning during worship time at our church I was suddenly taken by the thought, ‘how closely this relates to God and us’.

God is the great big guy and we are the little pups.  He knows everything that’s going on around us.  We have a very narrow view of the world.  Continuing the analogy, I knew that our five little puppies would be leaving that coming weekend to go to their new homes.  They didn’t have a clue that this was going to happen.  Leaving the comfort of our home and their mother was scary.  I knew their future homes would be loving places for them to grow, but initially the change would be traumatic for them.

When God sends us to a new place or we face a new trial we don’t have a clue what’s happening, but he knows and has a great plan for us.  It’s scary!  But he says, “Trust in me and lean not on your own understanding.”  He wants us to understand that he’s the big guy who loves and cares for us.  He has the big picture.  He’ll walk us through the new unknown stuff.

So, let’s go back to my night with the puppy.  I believe God wants to hold us on his chest through those hurting experiences.  When we’re injured, ill or whatever misery confronts us.  The big guy wants to comfort us through it.  We can lie on the chest of the creator of the universe and be calmed and comforted.  It still hurts, but it’s great to know someone much bigger is there for us.