When I preach to people and tell a children’s story, I like to play a game. I ask for some little girl to volunteer to play the game with me, someone maybe about 6 or 7 years old.
Then I tell her carefully what we’re going to do (let’s say her name is Ruth):
“Ruth, we’ll just go for a walk together, that’s all! We’ll walk down the aisle here in the church, and you hold my hand. Okay?”
She agrees, and so I hold out my hand, and she takes it, smiling, wondering what’s going to happen. All the people also are wondering what we’re up to.
Then, with everybody watching us closely, and the two of us facing the crowd, I start off.
And do I go! I don’t run (I promised her we’d go for a walk together), but I walk like I want to get somewhere.
And of course, it always happens: she wasn’t holding on! I leave her way behind.
When I turn around and come back, she’s standing there, wondering what went wrong.
Then I say, “Ruth, what happened to you? We were supposed to go for a walk together!
“I couldn’t hold on!” she says.
“All right,” I say. “But now let’s do it differently. Let’s go for a walk together, you and I, but this time instead of you holding on to my hand, I’m going to change things, and hold on to your hand.”
Well, you know what always happens. I hold her tight as we take off. And everybody laughs, She does, too.
Everybody in the whole world is too weak to hold on tight to Jesus’ hand. The Bible says something interesting when it comes to our holding on to His hand: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6, NKJV).
How strong is someone who is “without strength”? That’s why God is not asking us to promise Him that we’re going to do everything just right forever; the apostle Peter promised that he would never deny Jesus; but that same night he denied Him three times. No, our human promises are not strong.
But what is strong, is the hand of Jesus. He has promised something wonderful. It’s in Isaiah 41:10,13, and we’re going to be happy people forever if we believe His promise: “Do not be afraid—I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.” The King James Version says, “I will hold thy right hand.”
Everything depends on who holds whose hand!
Aren’t you glad that He has promised always to hold your hand?
Now, your job is to let Him hold your hand! Don’t wriggle your hand out of His hand like an ornery child trying to get away from his parents. Let me tell you a secret: every time Satan tempts you to do or say wrong, you will remember this. Through the Holy Spirit Jesus will give your hand a special little tug to encourage you. Don’t break away from Him!