Underneath Are the Everlasting Arms

Growing in Grace

I write to you a little note at once, before you leave your old home. I am sorry that you have had so much care and anxiety in preparing for your change of residence. I hope that everything is settled now and that you will have nothing further to disturb or distract you. I wish I were near enough to you to be of some little use to you, for I should love to help you in your life. All I can do at this distance, however, is to speak to God for you in prayer, asking him to give you quietness and confidence and peace, and then to write to you whenever you wish me to do so, to say my word of encouragement and uplifting to you.

The sweetest life is the one that nestles the most quietly and unquestioningly in the hands of God. I always like that picture of John which we have at the Last Supper, when he leaned upon Christ’s breast. It seems such an ideal place for anyone to lean. Especially it is a place in which those who are suffering, those who are weak and broken in health, those who have any sorrow or care, may nestle. There is a verse, too, in the Old Testament which seems to belong under this picture as a sort of legend — “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Embracing arms suggest a father’s love or the love of a very dear and trusted friend. It is very sweet for a child to nestle thus in the arms of father and mother. The embrace suggests not only affection, but support, protection, shelter, secure keeping. The strongest and gentlest human arms will some day fall away, unclasping their embrace. But the arms of God are “everlasting. 9 9 Nothing can ever unbind them from us. Nothing can ever snatch us out of those arms. We know that when once enfolded in the love of God we shall be kept there forever. Whatever human arms may have dropped away from their embrace of you, or may hereafter drop away, you know that the arms of God will always enfold you in warm, tender, strong affection. Another precious word in this old text is the word “underneath.” The arms are always underneath. No matter how low one sinks away in suffering, or weakness, or pain, or trial, still and always underneath are the everlasting arms.

I want you to feel that God’s love is everlasting, that his grace is eternal, that the protection you have in him is something that never can be disturbed. Earth’s nests are all liable to be torn to pieces, for nothing here is stable and sure. Even the giant mountain peaks shall molder away. But the love of God remains ever the same. Here is another text which you will like:” The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.”

Excuse my little sermon, but I want to help to give you strength and confidence when you have had so much to perplex and disturb you. Do not be afraid of anything. God is taking care of you. Bead the One hundred and twenty-first Psalm the day yon move — it is sometimes called “The Traveler’s Psalm.”