God is our refuge and strength …Psalm 46:1

She’s 18 months old…

And moving toward a table fast as she can move.

In a hurry because she’s spotted her favorite snack food…

Those little fish-shaped crackers.

She reaches the table…

And stretches up…

As high as she can stretch…

Her fingers not quite reaching the edge of the table.

She makes a noise…

Is it a squawk?

A screech?

Or a crying sound?

Her father recognizes the noise.

He fills a paper plate with the fish…

And hands it to her.

The little girl moves away…

Toddling from side to side.

The fish sliding from edge to edge as she toddles…

“Let Daddy help,” calls the father…

The little girl wants no help.

She toddles away as fast as she can toddle….

Swaying from side to side…

Until…

The crackers slide off one edge of the plate.

I watch…

And wonder…

How often am I like that little girl?

Crying out to God…

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.  From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.  Psalm 18:6 

Who hears my plea…

And then…

I move away from Him…

Confident I can handle everything on my own…

Forgetting Jesus has said…

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  John 15:4

Forgetting that in our weakness, God is our refuge and strength …

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  Deuteronomy 31:8 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,  Psalm 46:1-2