Ascension : News From The Grotto - Thought For The Week
Submitted by The Islander (Shari Parkhill) 23.09.2010 (Article Archived on 07.10.2010)

I found a little story in the Canadian Reader’s Digest this past week. In it, a woman recounted an experience she had at a local zoo

.  There is a “House of Night”, where nocturnal creatures crawl and fly about.  One very bright day, she had stepped into the exhibit, where she was plunged into complete darkness.  Almost immediately, she felt a small hand grab hers.

Startled, she asked “And who do you belong to?”

The little boy’s answer came swiftly: “I’m yours till the lights come on.”

I laughed when I read it.  I admit to being one of those children who was terrified by the dark.  I had to have a night light in order to relax enough to nod off.  As an adult, I’m still not really comfortable in complete darkness.  I’m sure if I had been a little child in that dark exhibit, I would have grabbed the first hand I found!

But it made me think of those whose hands I’d held in the dark in the past.  My parents’ hands, those loving hands that helped me face my fears, and then gave me a night light.  My older brother who, while chiding me in that way that only big brothers can about my irrational fear, didn’t let go when I gripped his hand in the dark.  My grandparents who were always there in the summer, juggling the different fears of a whole passel of grandchildren in that special way that only they could do.

Darkness occurs in our life in so many different ways.  There is the physical darkness, and then the darkness that can descend in the middle of a bright day.  Darkness can surround us in the middle of sunshine.   It comes in many shapes and forms.  It can take the sunshine out of our lives.

This little story reminded me about the one who is always there to hold our hand and help us navigate through the darkness.  In our darkest hours we so often turn to God, and ask him to hold our hand and help us.  He is always willing and always there.  And by holding His hand, we can find the strength we need to face our fears and our dark times.  We know that He is always there, and we can call on His help when we need it.

I think that we all remember this.  But I think that what might be even more important is to remember that He is always there to hold our hand.  Not only in the darkness when it is obvious we need Him, but when the sun is shining, both in the heavens and in our lives.  By holding His hand in the good times, we find it even easier to lean on Him in the tough ones. 

Too many of us put God in the position of expecting Him to be around when we really need Him, and then to take a back seat on our journey through life when things are going well.  And He is understanding and accepts this, and comes to our aid willingly when we call on Him.

But maybe, we ought to call on Him more often, in both the good times and the bad.  It doesn’t take much to have a conversation with God.  A few simple words are enough.  When we’re happy with the blessings in our lives, we should remember to thank Him.   That way, when we need to find His hand in the dark, we will find it even more quickly.

A hand to hold in the dark is a wonderful comfort.  Be it the hand of a parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent, partner or friend, be sure to grab hold and rest easy in the gift of the presence of another who cares.  And when you need to, reach out for the hand of God.  He will always be looking for your hand.  And He will hold on and never let go.

May God bless all those whose hands we have held in the dark, and may we always be there when someone needs to hold ours.