ASt. Louis firefighter tells about battling a four-alarm fire that was destroying a big, two-story home in that city. Everyone in the family had made it out to safety when suddenly without warning the smallest boy remembered something he had forgotten.
No one saw him as he dashed back into their burning home. He managed to make it to his bedroom up on the second floor. There he picked up a little brown teddy bear. He had made it in, but now the raging fire was blocking the way back out.
Seeing his son high up in the bedroom window, the father shouted to him, “Jump, son! Jump! I will catch you!” The boy looking down could see nothing but billowing black smoke. He cried out, “Daddy, I can’t see you!”
His father called back, “I know, son, but I can see you.” In blind trust the youngster leaped from the window ledge into the dark unknown and into his father’s waiting arms.
When we were growing up, it was really important for us to be seen by our father. A smile, a hand on our shoulder, a word of encouragement made all the difference in the world.
Older now, it is still true. My earthly father
Lift up your eyes
CLYDE NICHOLS
Author and retired minister
is no longer with me. He has long since “finished the race.” But my heavenly Father is watching over me. This I know.
In the book of Psalms are these reassuring words, “The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of men; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth.”
Although no longer children, there are still times when we feel very small and helpless. That’s when his watching eye and words of assurance make all the difference. We know we are never alone. I can’t see my heavenly Father, but it’s enough that he sees me.
We can say with John Greenleaf Whittier
I know not where his islands lift
Their fronded palms in air,
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond his love and care.
Clyde Nichols is a retired minister, having served First Christian Church in Temple for 27 years as senior minister. He is the author of three books of devotionals and writes a religious column for several Texas newspapers, including The Reporter.
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