Not long ago I meant to type into the search box, biblehub.com, a site I visit frequently for research. (If you’ve not visited there, it’s well worth exploring.) But this time, instead of hub I typed hug.
Bible hug.
After a slight snicker, I thought, Wait—scripture does offer hugs-of-sorts, in the form of encouragement, comfort, and assurance—providing occasions when I can almost feel God’s embrace.
Sometimes those hugs have come in preparation for what’s to come, sometimes in the midst of pain or trouble, and other times after the fact.
For example, a Bible hug in preparation for what was to come:
Steve and I were driving home after a visit to the next church (three hours away) where he’d been assigned to serve as pastor, beginning in six weeks. Melancholy enveloped me.
Three times in eleven years, the powers-that-be had chosen to move us, although neither we nor the current church had requested it. This was the hardest part of being a pastor’s family in our denomination.
Suddenly, on the Christian radio station we were listening to, the host read a scripture I’d surely heard before, but it took on fresh significance that day:
I clung to that promise over the next weeks of packing, taking care of the million-and-one details a move requires, and saying painful good-byes.
And look what God did at our new church:
He prospered us in new relationships, grew our faith (especially concerning our finances and those of the church), and blessed us as we watched him grow this community of believers—in number, spiritual maturity, and outreach—for thirteen years.
* * *
A Bible hug in the midst of pain:
Spring semester my freshman year of college, I received news that a friend back home had died, the result of a car accident. She’d been in a coma for over a week.
It seemed impossible. So many people had been praying for Shelly. Why did God say “No?”
She was only eighteen, as smart as they come, and scheduled to go to Spain as a short-term missionary that coming summer. Shelly was also an accomplished pianist, and had just won second place in a talent competition.
Why didn’t God intervene for such an outstanding young woman? My faith was beginning to falter.
I shut myself in the dormitory broom closet and searched my Bible for an answer. It wasn’t long before I came across these verses:
Verse 36 in the New Living Translation says, “Everything comes from him . . . and is intended for his glory.”
That includes the death of my young friend. My place is not to beg for answers that I likely wouldn’t understand or accept anyway. My place is to trust.
* * *
A Bible hug that provided closure:
Years ago Steve worked under the direction of a pastor whose words and actions could be downright unkind. We’ll call him George.
The situation intensified when, behind the scenes and unbeknownst to us, George engineered a change of position for Steve—elsewhere in the state–while we were on vacation. I was pregnant at the time, due just one month prior to the move.
God taught me much during that time, including the wisdom of James 1:2-4:
The next few months provided many opportunities to practice perseverance as we endured continued difficulty with George.
We also developed self-control, not talking to people in the church about what he had done (except with a few mature confidantes), in order not to cause strife or division.
I learned that love is not a feeling, it’s an action. With much prayer, God gave me grace to be genial with George. He also helped me understand that much of his untoward behavior came from insecurity.
After the fact, I could count it all joy that we’d faced such trials. I’m a better person for the lessons learned in self-discipline, integrity, and perseverance.
Years later we had occasion to meet George again. God had obviously been at work in his life; he was a changed man.
* * *
Of course, these are just a few of the Bible hugs received from God over the years. Perhaps we’ll revisit this topic again in the future.
In the meantime, please share in the comment section below a Bible hug you’ve received. I’d love to read your stories; no doubt others would too!
Image credits: http://www.easy-peasy.ai; http://www.pexels.com (Leticia Alvares); http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.canva.com; http://www.pickpik.com.
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From the Inside Out 