Held by Natalie Grant

This song is so powerful! It always gives me goosebumps. What an amazing God we have!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

This song reminds us that there is no specific promise of deliverance here on earth. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people - that is the nature of life in a world filled with evil. We must remember that there is a much larger spiritual battle that we cannot even begin to understand. Thus, we feel that God abandons us and allows us to experience terrible loss... when He could easily intervene on our behalf. But, we cannot even begin to fathom God's point of view of the circumstances and losses - they're part of something much greater.

What we do know about God is that

• He is good
• He is holy
• He is all powerful
• He created us
• He loves us unconditionally
• He sent His only Son to live among us and die in our place
• He accepted the blood shed by Jesus Christ as the price of redemption from an eternity in hell, once and for all
• He allows each and every one of us on earth to lay claim to that redemption by confessing the name of Jesus
• He promised us an eternity with Him in heaven

But, He didn't promise us heaven on earth. He promised that evil men would hate and seek to kill us... that persecution would be rampant... that the earth would crumble around us. He promised us that He would be coming for us, and that He will avenge us.

When bad things happen in our lives, when our hearts are broken and cold with grief, when we feel farthest from Him... we are called to remember that He never promised a life without heartache, but He has promised to be there. What comfort that brings to those who have placed their faith in God's promise of eternity - there is more to life than life here on earth. 

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

One day, we will experience pure joy and security without the presence of evil, death, and fear of loss. Until then... His arms are enough.

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

http://youtu.be/tRrQp47CYPk

Held by Natalie Grant

Two months is too little, they let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling

Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair

[Chorus 1]
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive

[Chorus 2]

This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

[Chorus 1]

[Chorus 2]

If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait for one hour
Watching for our Savior

[Chorus 1]

[Chorus 1]