Last weekend our son in law was away and so our daughter and their four young children came down to stay with us.
The journey down and back from their home means driving on motorways almost all of the way and as the time got closer for them to leave to go home on Sunday evening, I could tell our daughter was a little anxious about the drive back by herself with four sleeping children in the car, as it would get dark quite quickly.
However, the other challenge and the one that gave me much more concern, is that cars park on both sides of the road where they live meaning that at most times of the day, trying to find a space close to their house is usually impossible. She said she would have to either double park or leave their older daughter in the house while she ran up and down the road taking the other three from the car up to their beds. Not an ideal arrangement!
When they left I began to feel really very concerned about their journey and especially their arrival home. I sat quietly and turned my thought to prayer. I prayed to know that God, our Father Mother, loves and protects us, wherever we are and whatever we are doing. We all express the Godlike qualities of patience, obedience and consideration, especially on the road.
Verses from Psalm 91 in the Bible have always given me comfort and the reassurance of God's care when I have needed it.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ... Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Ps. 91:1; Ps. 91:9-11)
In the Christian Science Hymnal, the words of hymn 502 are from a poem 'Prayer for loved ones' which was first published in the Christian Science Journal 1983 and I have often turned to it when praying for the family.
I place then in Your hands, dear God,
I trust them to your care,
The One who marks the sparrow's fall
And numbers every hair.
You cherish and You guard them all
From snares of every kind.
No false responsibility
Disturbs my peace of mind.
Your love, far greater than my own,
Provides for them all good.
This have I learned - to humbly trust
Your father- motherhood.
I realized that in this situation I needed to place this young family in God's hands and trust, wholeheartedly trust, that their journey home would be calm and harmonious.
After a few more moments of quiet prayer the totally reassuring thought came to very clearly to me 'I go to prepare a place for you.' (John 14:2)
I no longer felt any concern and was overjoyed when a couple of hours later we received this text from our daughter ' As I arrived back someone pulled out of the parking space right in front of our house so it was then easy peasy!"
I sensed her relief and was of course was filled with gratitude myself at this very tangible evidence of God's care, the complete operation of His plan that included every minutiae of detail, especially that parking space right outside their house!