Baby At The Police Station

1 John 5:18 – No one who has become part of God's family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God's Son, holds him securely, and the devil cannot get his hands on him. (TLB)

"A baby who has been left alone is being held down at the police station," said the message on our phone. My husband, the social worker on duty, asked if I'd go along with him as backup.

When we got to the station, he went off to find someone in charge. The sound of screaming was coming from a corner of the large reception room, where a young female officer was grappling with a red-faced, sweaty baby, a soiled pink sundress wrapped nearly around the child's neck.

"May I take her?" I held out my arms.

"Be my guest!" the cop said, handing me the baby.

With a sigh of relief, the little child nestled down in my arms, put her thumb in her mouth, and went to sleep, snuggled up against me as though I were life itself.

"Easy for you," the officer said, embarrassed. "You're a professional!"

I had no social work training, only the experience of being a mother. The baby seemed to know that she was in the arms of someone who had done this before.

When we are helpless and alone and all our resources have failed, God is here for us, holding out His arms for us to come and rest. He has done this before, and He will do it again, from everlasting to everlasting.

Deuteronomy 33:27a – The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. (NLT)

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we are so thankful for Your all-encompassing care for us, sometimes in the sense of mothering. Always being reminded that this is the world that You have made and that You are in charge of, we can rest in Your arms, safe from all the uncertainty and sadness in this world and fearing no evil. Thank You for the experiences that continue to remind us of Your care in all our distress. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.