During my high school years, I
attended a church youth group in my hometown. For some time, we also had a
choir and performed in a nearby church of the same region. There was a guest pastor
from another town for that occasion. We had good talks as I have seen him
before at another event. He was middle-aged, passionate and speaking in the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For that weekend, he invited me to visit the
school he had established. Those were wonderful two days filled with deep talks
and pastor honestly sharing from his life lesions with me and some others
present. Although clearly pastor's life was not problem free, he was heartily laughing often. On Sunday morning, after listening to pastor preaching in his church
with passion, we were spending time in the church yard, and it was a sunny
weather in late spring. I was about to leave soon. Pastor embraced me for a
while, and I felt pure love of God and safety in that moment. It was one of
those out-of-the-earth moments when time stops. I believe in the spiritual
realm I received something that is at times referred to as ‘the Father’s
embrace.’ I have not seen him afterwards. Only once some years ago I wrote
to this pastor to say how much I appreciated the visit that time, his heart of the
father and that it strengthened me a lot during at that period in my life.
He responded by short message which contained the right word at the right
season, a deeply meaningful prophetic message I frequently recall.
An embrace can be immensely powerful.
It communicates acceptance and assurance that all will be alright. What I am
talking about here is not the “How do you do” kind of hug, although that can be
nice and uplifting as well. I am talking about someone embracing you with
compassion and understanding of what you have been through. There have been
some memorable embraces in my life, and God has supplied some people to
communicate that part of His love to me. But then again, there also have been difficult
times when such people were not available. It is great to be embraced and
comforted, but in life, it sometimes happens that we don’t have it when we need
it most. Or, seeking comfort in someone’s arms or depending on someone for
emotional support too much at times may not be safe or appropriate.
Looking back I also clearly remember
instances when I felt in my spirit Jesus embracing me, when there was no one else
to hold. Once the feeling was of an embrace so strong that it would almost make me lose my breath. A friend
shared once that she had a dream that she somehow could not, and could not get into
the arms of Jesus. I think for years of my life, I struggled in similar way,
however, once this place in the arms of Jesus is found, you can find comfort
there at the end of a difficult day. Yes, most of the time, you do not feel
this embrace physically, but it is nevertheless real in the spirit and it makes
difference. I have found solace there in distressing conditions and have been
able to fall asleep peaceful and well. His arms are always there. It is
invisible, but real embrace; we can choose to experience it, and it strengthens
and makes difference. He says: “I alone am the One who comforts you. Why then
are you afraid of mortals who die, of humans, who are like grass?” (Isaiah
51,12) He is full of compassion for our struggles. With Him, there are no
hooks. He understands as no one else. The embrace of Jesus is the most
dependable one, through every season of our lives.
