O Love That Won’t Let Go

O Love That Won’t Let Go

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper;

I will not be afraid.”

— Hebrews 13:5 – 6

My friend Melanie and I love to sing the old song, “O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee.” We need to. It’s not only because she’s holding life together by her fingers and toes, raising two active little boys and a toddler in diapers, cheering on her pastor-husband, keeping house, shopping, cooking, and running countless errands.

On top of that, she is going blind. Her world is blurring over. First it was labels on soup cans. Then it was the aisles in the store. Soon it will be her children’s faces. In an email Melanie wrote: “The toughest battles in my life are coming up, and it’s as though I’m already losing the war! I feel as though life is leaving me as my vision fades. I have such a sense that ‘in this world you will have trouble. . . .’ Joni, I am waiting for the peace.”

I want to stay close on my friend’s heels as we journey further into the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings. It’s a road no one should walk alone. Me or you. Melanie, on this eve of your birthday, I’ll tell you what: I’ll keep being your eyes, and you keep being my hands. And Jesus will keep holding us with his grace . . . his love will not let us go.

Jesus has promised never to fail us, never to leave us, never to let us go. But there are times when we need the warm touch of a fellow traveler along the sometimes difficult path of life. Will you be our Lord’s touch, his smile, his comfort, his word of encouragement and hope to someone in a dark place today?

Lord, you have comforted me so many times with a word or a hug or a note from one of your children. I’m asking you this day for the opportunity to pass that love along.