HE WILL CARRY YOU

Who would have imagined a church parking lot would have a traffic jam?

But it did, and I wove through the idling cars to retrieve my four-year-old granddaughter from Vacation Bible School at the church down the street.

Miss Bug had requested that I pick her up on foot, and we would both head back to my house for a tuna fish sandwich.

"Well, ACTUALLY," she had informed me, "I have a GREAT IDEA! I'll ride my SCOOTER!"

So when I arrived, she handed me her papers, clipped her helmet, and pushed off into the chaos between church and home.

I sprinted to catch up, then half-jogged, half-waddled beside her with outstretched arms and craning neck, looking for danger.

"OK, Bug...Wait a min..careful! Watch…that…stroller…Good, good job. Whoops, watch that…yep, careful…Easy..OK…Go that w… No? Over here..Stop…Stop…STOP!!"

She halted, and my heart pounded. I assessed the situation. 

We hadn't made it off the church sidewalk yet.

Then, I noticed the way her knees and ankles crossed.

"Sweetie, do you have to go potty?" 

I saw the traffic pause. It was now or never. 

"Let's GO!!"

But she flung herself down, refusing to move. 

Cars were approaching; the potty clock was ticking. So I decided to take charge.

I scooped her up and hobbled into the road. Her long legs wrapped around my waist, arms tight around my neck, and the scooter wildly swung in an arc that was sure to leave a bruise.

 "Are we doing this AGAIN?" she asked.

Because this wasn't the first time I had to come to her rescue.

And I hoped it wouldn't be the last. 

After all, having her so close was worth it.

And if a grammy would go to such lengths to guide and protect her own, how much more would Jesus, the Good Shepherd?

Ask Him. He'll tell you. 

Watching over you and carrying you is the best part of His job.

****

"Why do you like Jesus so much?" my granddaughter asked me one day.

Because He never tires of carrying me home.

****

"I am the good shepherd." (John 10:14, NIV)

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing...He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake. (Psalm 23:1, 3 NIV)