Welcome back to “Friday Feature!” Grab a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy today’s devotion! If you missed last week’s devotion, you can read it here!
Brianna Chastain brings us today’s devotion titled, “I’m Right Here.” Brianna, a preacher’s wife and mom to a beautiful baby girl, is also a talented singer & nurse. She is also my friend, and one of the sweetest people you will ever meet! Give Brianna a follow! @brianna_renae
I’m Right Here
As a new mom of my precious, four-month-old baby girl, my new normal state of life is a blur of diaper changes, feedings, nap time routines, etc. I am very blessed and beyond thankful that the Lord has made a way for me to be able to stay at home with my baby for the time being. I could go on and on about how having her has changed my life so sweetly and drastically, but I’ll keep that short. To sum it up, my baby is the best thing that has ever happened to me (outside of salvation and meeting her Daddy). I’ve never been as happy. She’s a gift and I have often said the “light of our lives”.
Something I wasn’t necessarily expecting while I was expecting, was just how the Lord would use little things about my girl to speak to me. Throughout my pregnancy and now life with her here, He has been so good to me and has spoken to my heart in new ways that only He can. Isn’t it great to serve Him? He is so personal and knows exactly where we are in life, exactly our frame of mind at the time being, and can minister to us in those moments better than we could ever imagine.
A few days ago (coincidence that Sis Laura asked me to give a devotion right after this experience? I think not), as I was getting ready for the day, I laid Georgia down in her bedside bassinet for a quick minute. She was awake, and she loathes not being held all the time. (Who can blame her? I’ll hold this girl for the rest of her life if she’ll let me) Anyway, after I laid her down, I walked out of her line of sight to finish readying myself. After a minute or two, she began to cry out. I was right beside her, but she couldn’t see me. I was so close to her, but she couldn’t locate me. Hearing her little whimpers, I called out something like, “I’m right here, Momma’s right here, don’t worry”. I stepped back into her line of sight and the biggest smile broke out across her face. I smiled back and said “see? You were upset for nothing. I was right here.”
As soon as the words left my lips, the Holy Spirit quickened my heart as only He can. My throat felt tight. My chest felt heavy. Tears filled my eyes.
How many times in my life (especially recently with all the craziness 2020 has brought about) have I been upset, cried out, pitched a fit (ouch, but yes), only for the Lord to sweetly and swiftly remind me that He was right there with me. So many times, my present circumstances threaten to overwhelm my heart, and I tend to begin to worry and even panic in extreme cases. (I know what the scripture says about worrying, and I am earnestly working to better myself to stop that thought process altogether- I’m a work in progress you could say. Spoiler alert: I have not yet arrived as Paul says) in those moments it seems like everything is going wrong, my world is caving in, and my human nature throws me into a discombobulated mess. I look around and can’t see Him. I cry out “God!! Please help!!” and if His intervention isn’t as immediate as I request, I get out of sorts.
I become like my sweet, little Georgia. She couldn’t see me or hear me because I wasn’t talking to her or making much noise. But all along, I was an arm’s length away from her. Ready to step in if anything was wrong. Ready to remedy any problem. Ready to wipe away any tear. She just didn’t know that.
I am thankful that He is even closer to us. Christians, He’s closer than an arm’s length away. He’s nearer to us than a mother is to her child. He lives within our hearts. And He’s ever-present to help us. To comfort us. To provide for us. To teach us. Even if we feel like He is millions of miles away, we find reassurances in the Scriptures that He is never far. Our feelings do not discredit what His word tells us. We feel alone: He tells us we are not. We feel like He is not within reach: He tells us He is.
Georgia will learn. She’ll begin to understand as she grows that even though she may not be able to see me, I will never be far from her.
I will learn, too. God is never far from me. Time and time again, He has proven Himself faithful to me. He’s teaching me to trust Him fully- experience by experience, moment by moment.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9