Those Arms
August 30, 2020 — Laura House
One of the most powerful reminders of the love our family has enjoyed through the years is found in pictures from the past. Before Nathan left us, I rarely took time to relish bygone memories, but these remnants of our former days are now treasures, retelling a story of people who cherished each other. Looking through countless photos, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern in the position of everyone’s arms, including Nathan’s. Rarely hanging by his side, those arms were often around someone’s shoulders, locked arm-in-arm, holding the arm next to him, or lifted up to make “bunny ears” behind someone’s head. It’s just one more indication of the affection he had for his family and friends.
Currently one of my favorites is the picture at Gary’s doctoral ceremony. Eight-year-old Nathan desperately wanted to put his hand on Daddy’s shoulder. He was so proud. It makes me laugh to see how high he had to reach to get to that shoulder!
Only fifteen months before Nathan left us, my mom was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. When she called me with the grim diagnosis, I was heart-broken and desperate to tell someone. Nathan was the only one home at the time, and as I headed downstairs to find him, he met me with open arms. I’ll never forget him holding me tightly as I grieved the news I had just been given.
Nathan wasn’t what you’d call “a hugger” by nature, but when he did, they were special. After a long day of classes at the university, he’d come home tired and hungry, and I loved whipping up a hot plate of food. His hug was ample pay. I enjoyed them when I was ready to leave on a business trip, when he opened birthday and Christmas gifts, and when I asked, “Can I please have a hug?” :) How I miss those arms and anticipate the incredible reunion one day.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the “family pictures” in the Bible that show the intimate relationship between God and His creation. A breathtaking glimpse of all that has been and is to come, the Bible provides a picture of the unfathomable love of God for each of us— creation, sin, Jesus, grace, redemption, and eternity with Him. And in those pages, I see His arms. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27
From the moment I knew Nathan was gone, I have felt the comforting arms of Jesus surrounding me. If you know Him, then you feel those arms too.