Lean Back

“He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper; He will never forget nor ignore me. He will never slumber nor sleep; He is the Guardian-God for His people, Israel. Yahweh Himself will watch over you; He’s always at your side to shelter you safely in His presence.” (Psalm 121:3-5 Passion Translation)

As a child, did you ever find yourself leaning back in your mother or father’s arms? Maybe it was after an exciting day or just a needed moment in a mundane one, but regardless, these moments felt like a safe haven, a space to just breathe and trust that you were securely held. While I recognize this certainly was not the case for everyone, I want to invite you on a journey today to imagine what it would be like to lean back with complete assurance into the arms of the One who is always there.

This morning I felt the Lord reveal a picture of Him and me sitting in a field. All around was open space. In this clearing, I leaned back into His strong arms, but I was hesitant to lean my full weight on Him. I did not want Him to be uncomfortable or get tired of holding me. I did not want to be a burden to Him. I did not want Him to leave. As I found myself holding my own weight, I grew tired. I felt my body getting tense and weary. As I fell deeper and deeper into discomfort, I heard the voice of the Father speak to my heart.

My Heavenly Father lovingly said, “I can bear the weight of what you’re carrying. I can handle it. I won’t leave or grow tired of you. You are not a burden to Me, dear child. For I desire to hold you, and you have been created to be safely held by Me.” At that moment, I could feel my body sink back into the arms of my Father. I felt a release in my chest, and I knew this is what my soul longed for all this time. I had held my own weight for far too long. My heart yearned to lean back and rest with my Father, but I did not want to inconvenience Him. I did not want to reveal to Him the actual weight of what I was carrying.

However, in the midst of the wrestling and striving, my Father reminded me that He alone is strong enough to hold me. He will never leave me. I can just fall back into His arms and know with complete assurance that He will be there to catch me. He desires to bear the weight of what I’m carrying, the weight of what you’re carrying.

Today, what are you holding that your Heavenly Father is meant to be holding? Are you worried that the weight of it all might make Him grow weary and leave? What is preventing you from leaning back into the arms of your Father?

While I may not know what you’re carrying today, the one thing I know is that it’s likely too much to carry on your own. So God invites you to come rest in His arms today. You don’t need to hold it together; you don’t need to bear the weight of it all; you don’t need to have all the answers. Just come. Come and find rest for your soul.

If you find yourself in this space, there is a promise for you today. God promises to “guard and guide you, never letting you stumble or fall. God is your keeper; He will never forget nor ignore you. He will never slumber nor sleep; He is the Guardian-God for His people, Israel.” (Psalm 121:3-4 TPT).

Your Heavenly Father calls out to you this day, “Come and talk with me.” Will your heart respond, “Lord, I am coming?” (Psalm 27:8 NLT)

Take a moment to lean back in your Father’s arms today while listening to this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1JYVUmCGKE