Today’s message was written by my friend Rev. Charlie Landreth

A young couple became concerned about their young son who always took his teddy bear to bed with him. As the boy got older they thought he should give this up. Finally, they asked him: "Why do you take the teddy bear to bed with you?" Without hesitation, he replied, "To have something to hold on to in the night." 

In the darkness of our lives, we want something to hold on to. 

What do you do when nothing seems to be turning out the way you had expected: What do you do when you gather up the bits and pieces of your life and spread them out before you and most of what you experience is pain and disappointment? Do you have anything to hold on to in the night?

In the 8th chapter of Romans, Paul affirms "Nothing can separate you from the love of God." A broken home or a broken life cannot separate you from the love of God. Your past failures and mistakes cannot separate you from the love of God. Old age, broken bodies, cancer, heart disease, depression none of these can separate you from the love of God. That is good news! That is something to hold on to in the night!

God's love will not let you go. It is constant. It is constant, not because of your faith, nor because of your strength, nor because of your gritty determination but because of the love, the faithfulness and the grace of God. That is something for you to hold on to in the night! 

Prayer: Loving God, visit those for whom this day may hold special challenges: those facing hard choices, those persevering in long struggles, those undergoing surgery or treatment. Grant comfort and courage to these and may they sense your loving and tender presence accompanying them in the difficult moments of this day. Amen.

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