Sometimes when we worry we feel a weight that doesn’t let us move forward or backward or up or down. We are held. The greatest weight is for those we love who are in pain. We feel it in every fiber of our being and its weight is heavy.

I thought about that this morning reading Judges 15. How can we read about the violence in this chapter and not mourn for everyone involved? Samson burned grain, vineyards, olive groves because his wife was given to another. She and her family were burned in retaliation. Samson was handed over to the Philistines by his own people and he struck down a thousand of them. Imagine being there in the midst of that.

Worrying about my own family, I couldn’t help but think about all that God has seen in this violent history of us. He has seen it all. The difference is He cares about each one of us.

These events in this chapter may have been thousands of years ago, but what about today? Does God pick sides?

Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, “You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore (caller’s spring), and it is still there in Lehi. v. 18-19.

Samson called out and God answered and revived him. The caller’s spring. Isn’t that what we experience when we call out to God to help us? As we call out and as He answers we experience trust. Sometimes it’s simply knowing He is here with us providing sanctuary in the midst of worry or storms. We are held not in worry but in His arms. Sometimes it’s remembering we are not alone. He is with us as are others whose voices are lifted up in prayer that is beautiful.

Samson was not perfect and neither are we. God doesn’t help perfect people because there are none. He helps imperfect people who long for something better than this present age of violence and hate no matter in which millennia they are held. The most amazing thing is His love for imperfect people filled with violence and hate. Not the hate, not the violence…the people.

All of this swirled into my thoughts this morning. Our need for help. His arms ready to hold us giving comfort and strength that can only come from Him. We are held.

I love the way God holds me when I am troubled in my soul for whatever reason. He is always here and in His Presence I know trust because He is faithful. We are each of us held in His love and one day every heart will know Him. I pray for that day with all of my heart because I know that He is good. We are safe in Him. In this world there is sickness, hate, violence. Thank God that this present age of sickness, hate, violence is not all there is. It never was.

When Jesus knew His time on this earth with the disciples was drawing to a close, when time was running out, He began to speak to them about what to expect, that He would be leaving them to go back to the Father. Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:29-33.

Jesus knew He was never alone…His Father was with Him always. We can know that too. How? Jesus’s prayer for all of us. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and that I myself may be in them. John 17:25-26.

Trust Him. He’s here.