My Keeper

If you’re a mom (or because you’ve had one), you probably remember the assignment moms have for holding things.  It’s part of the “mom-portfolio.”  I for one was the keeper of books, pencils, drawings and special toys.  No one told my children that was my responsibility; they just seemed to sense that mom took care of things for them.  It was not unusual for me to balance all of the objects they collected in class every Sunday morning.  They would find me after dismissal and immediately hand me these items so they could go off to be with their friends.  And I willingly complied.  I was the keeper, after all.  And I learned to give sideway hugs or nudges to friends along the way out the door, for my hands were full of things that needed special keeping.  And I wouldn’t dare lose what they entrusted to my care.

Each of my sons also had a wooden treasure box.  It was home for prized possessions.  You might wonder at the value of an old 1990 Michael W. Smith ticket stub; or foreign coins from various missions trips; or Pan Am pins from 1984; or contest medals; or useless keys; or even a collection of erasers.  But those treasures have been in safe keeping in their boxes all these years.  Their value might be questioned today as adults, but these articles are now symbols of times past. Now it’s the memories that are kept there.

Watching my granddaughters sort through their Dad and Uncle’s random keepsakes made me think of all the times I’ve handed things to God to keep for me.  It’s Scriptural, you know.  It’s one of His many names.  Keeper.  He keeps whatever I commit to Him.  He perfects what I hand over.  But I’ve got to let go and trust Him enough to know those things (or people) are safe with Him.  It’s pure childlike faith when I give it over.  It’s what trust is all about.

My sons didn’t worry about what they gave to me.  Once Mom held their things, they were free.  Free to play.  Free to go on.  Free…to not worry.  Oh, to be a child again! Jesus said we should be like them.  For children learn to trust with pure abandon.  Why is it that growing up causes me to take things back from my Father’s hands?  I surrender in moments of faith; only to take back in times of fear.  As if I could do anything better with it!  I truly want Him to keep what I commit to Him. I truly want to rest, knowing things will turn out better than if I held it myself.

1 Peter 5:7, “Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”

So lately in prayer, I’ve been picturing God, my Father, holding things for me.  I’ve been envisioning the release of my fingers so He could take the concerns out of my hands to hold in a treasure box for safe keeping.  He’s doing something greater with those things that I could ever do.  He is perfecting what He keeps.  I’m actually saying to Him with my release, “Would you hold this for me, please…would you take care of what concerns me…would you preserve that box with all my keepsakes inside to do with as You will?  I need to go play.  I need to go on.  I need…to not worry.”

Do you see Him standing over you as you kneel in prayer?  He has a box in His hands that will hold all of your worries and cares.  He is watching over you, perfecting and preserving your going out and coming in.  Your Heavenly Father longs for you to give Him all your treasures as well as concerns.  He won’t lose or abuse what you entrust to Him…because He’s the Keeper.