You hem me in!

Some years ago, after a family friend passed away, I decided that his wife and children were very much in need of a visit and some encouragement. He had been an amazing person, with incredible faith, but would never have said this as he was so humble. He had spent a large part of his life in Albania, working hard for a Christian organisation there, before moving back to the Netherlands, where his wife had been born. I knew him a lot better than his family, so hadn’t really decided where I was going to stay during my visit.

Amazingly, just before the visit, I had unwittingly welcomed someone new at church, who turned out to be from that very same area of the Netherlands! He showed great interest in the visit to his country and I was taken aback when he invited me to stay with him and his family: such kindness and generosity towards someone he had never met before! 

In the end, I had a very precious time with both families. My friend’s wife gave me a gift of a key ring with the words on it: “U legt uw hand op mij.” I’m sure your Dutch is top notch and you don’t need to consult your dictionary to translate this little extract from Psalm 139: “You lay your hand on me.” I just love these words and find them so comforting: the fact that God would lay his hand on us speaks of his great love for us. He is not clutching us in an angry hold for anything wrong we've done or pointing this finger at us, but gently laying his hand on us, as a father would a son. This very action not only tells us how much he cares but also reminds us that he will let no harm come to us, as he gently nudges us in the right direction. How incredible that the maker of the universe would care for each one of us. And so much. Let's remember these words today as we go about our activities and then fall asleep tonight with them comforting our hearts!


“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”

Psalm 139:5


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