Daily Devotional #1,730

Years ago, my Dad took me from our little town to the “city” and I remember walking downtown past all the  stores and restaurants holding my Dad’s hand. He was on the street side and I was on the side of the different  buildings and I just got totally absorbed in what I was seeing. I don’t know how it happened but we had  stopped and then started walking again and I looked up at my Dad…and it wasn’t him! The man looked down  smiling at me as we were walking and I panicked and turned around behind me and there was my Dad, still  carefully watching me but had that smile that probably was to say “This is what happens when you don’t keep  holding Dad’s hand!” I’ve thought about that incident over the years and it reminds me of something that Jesus  said. He said that his sheep follow him…and that no one could snatch them out of his hand. And then he went  on to say that his father is greater than all…and no one can snatch them out of his father’s hand. You know, that  day, that man didn’t grab me or try to separate me from my father…I just got careless about my connection with  my Dad. And I thought all was going well as I walked down the street…until I realized that I’m not walking  with my father. That can happen to us too. No one will tear us away from our father’s hand. But it doesn’t say  that we can’t let go. In our journey that can happen. But if one day you see that you are not walking with your  father…in heaven…turn loose. Your father in heaven hasn’t left you…he is right there watching you and  waiting for you to see that you’ve wandered off. And as soon as you let go of that pretender…he is ready to  take your hand again and walk with you all the days of your journey of life on this earth. And the really  awesome thing is that when your journey has come to an end…he doesn’t turn loose from you but walks with 
you into a life that never ends in a place you have never been…that is truly home. Here’s our Bible verse for  today…  
John 10:27-29 BSB My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. (28) I give them eternal  life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. (29) My Father who has given them  to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  
Remember I’m praying for you!  
With love, PJ