On my walk the other day, I saw a dad and his daughter riding bikes. The little girl was probably six or seven years old. She was up on the paved trail, pedaling along, laser focused on where she was going. Her dad, though, was down inside the arroyo next to the path. He was riding like it was a motocross track. Up one sloped side, down across the flat part, and up the other side again. The sides are angled just right, almost like ramps, so he could move back and forth between them.
After a bit, the girl looked down at him and said, “Dad, I don’t think you’re supposed to be down there.”
He answered her calmly, “Honey, it’s okay. I can be down here right now. It’s dry.”
She didn’t look convinced. “I don’t think that’s safe.”
“It’s okay,” he said again. “It’s okay for right now.”
Then she asked, “Well, what about me?” She demanded to know. “Are you watching me?”
“Yes, honey. I’m watching you. I got you.”
“Well, what if I get snatched by a stranger?”
By that point I was getting closer, and the dad glanced at me. We smiled at each other, and he turned to look at her and said, “You’ll be all right. I got you.”
She absolutely was not. having. it. and asked loudly, “You got me? You got me like you’re keeping your eyes on me at all times?”
He lovingly responded, “I got you.”
As I walked past them, I couldn’t stop thinking about that conversation. How often do we talk to God the same way?
Psalm 139:5 reminds us,
“You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5 ESV
Before we even ask, God is already saying, I got you. Jesus knew we would come to God with these questions, which is why He taught us to pray like children talking to a parent.
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven,
The ‘Our Father’ reminds who we are talking to. Not a distant God. But a Father who knows when we sit down, when we get up, and every step in between.
You Got Me?
And in those times when fear creeps in, when we wonder if we are really safe, He answers us with,
“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 ESV
He’s Got You
This week He’s been repeating the same phrases to me: I see you. I’m watching you. I got you. And if you lean in closely, He is telling you the same thing. Because I know that He’s got you too!
*For those of you who prayer walk, lean in close and ponder the phrase ‘I got you’. For your copy of this week’s screensaver click here. And to access all of my YouVersion Bible App devotional plans click here.