“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you'” (Isaiah 41:13).

One of my most treasured memories as the father of young children (repeated now with my grandchildren) is the wonderful way in which the kids instinctively reached up to take my hand whenever they sensed the need to do so. Perhaps on a walk or in the presence of strangers, when crossing the street or climbing the stairs, they knew when they needed assurance and help. At such times, they reached to take my hand in a natural and easy manner. That’s the picture I have in mind each time I read Isaiah’s words. With that in mind, let me ask you this question as you consider the passage quoted above. What do you reach for when you sense the need for help?

I’ve come to see that far too many people reach for the wrong thing. At times we reach for things that in retrospect we know would be of little or no help. At other times, we reach for other people to assist us. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. However, I wonder how many of us instinctively reach for God’s hand when fear threatens us.

In that light, I am reminded of the story of Peter when he saw Jesus walking on the water towards the disciples. In Matthew we read, “Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord save me!’” In that passage, we see that Peter’s sight was actually a hindrance to him, and for this reason. Once he had stepped out of the boat, the waves were none of his business. His only concern should have been maintaining his focus on Christ. In Peter’s case, he let go of God’s hand and began to sink.

There is a huge lesson in this for each of us. You see, there are times when we should maintain a tight grip on God’s hand as opposed to gauging the danger we’re facing. Gauging the danger can be a danger in and of itself. That does not mean that we should be unaware of the danger we face. It does mean however that, as soon as we focus on the threat at the expense of gripping tightly to God’s hand, it’s only a matter of time before we begin to sink just as Peter did.

Are you in need of someone to hold your hand right now? Is there a measure of fear surrounding a situation you are facing and about which you feel powerless? God’s hand is always extended to us. He extends it, but we must reach for it. As you reach for God’s hand, would you do what Peter did not do; leave the waves to God and grip tightly?