7-18-2025

 Good Morning All,

      Psalm 139:5; “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”

    We often call them “bear hugs.”  This is where you sort of wrap your arms all the way around someone and pull them close to your chest.  Most of the time, we do it in a humorous fashion.  We will pick up a child and growl and they will squeal in delight.  We might come towards them with our arms open wide trying to get them in a corner and then hemming them in and then grabbing them.  They will usually squeal with delight.

     But sometimes, that hug isn’t a game; it is real.  Have you ever had a close call, like a car accident or a serious medical emergency?  When it was over, what did you do?  I know what I did, I grabbed the person and held onto them as close as I could.  There were a lot of emotions going on, the release of pent-up fear and anxiety, and a strong desire to let the other person know that I really loved them.

     Sometimes you hug like this because you want to protect and shield the other person.  Perhaps when the other person is receiving painful news and you are trying to shield them from it.  Or perhaps you do this when you have no words to say.  We let our emotions speak for us and a hug works well in this situation.

     In our verse the Psalmist is speaking about how God and his love interact with us.  God comes to us and surrounds us with his love.  It is an all-encompassing love that envelops us with a peace that will give us comfort and consolation.  It is the kind of hug that, when you receive it, you know that the other person loves you with a totality that brings a sigh of contentment.  This is what God gives us in this world.  He gives us contentment.  The world always wants us to think we need more and to take our happiness and contentment away.  The world only seeks to make us sad and miserable. 

    God comes to us and surrounds us with his mercy and holds us tight in the embrace that will never let us go.  He holds us as close to him as we have need of.  He will never let us go.  He hems us in with the grace and mercy.  He comforts us and shields us from the arrows that the devil throws.  God is our only source of comfort and hope.  Through him we have the strength to face each day and we can face it with confidence because of what his love for us does.  It shields us and protects us.  We are forever held in a bear hug by God our Father.  We cling to him and him alone. 

    Dearest Father, you embrace us with your steadfast love and mercy.  We only need to cling to you.  Give us the faith to cling only to you and to see that you are our only source of love.  Make us to show that same love to those around us and give them the same hope that you shower upon us.  Be with those who are suffering at this time.  Encompass them with your unending grace.  All this we ask in Jesus’ precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret