What a comforting assurance is this. As we go out into the world to labor through life’s day, our heavenly Father does not leave us to go alone in our own strength; he assures us that He will go with us, hold us by the hand, and help us.

A father tells of an incident about his little daughter. In the darkness of the night she awoke in her little bed frightened, and called out, “Father!” Thinking she would fall asleep again in a moment, he didn’t answer. But presently she sat up, and called out again, “O father!” Then he reached over, took her hand in his, and said, soothingly, “Yes, dearie, what do you want?” Falls back on her pillow, and almost asleep, she said, “Nothing—except I wanted to know you were there.”

Often our way is dark; we feel troubled and lonely; we are beset with fears and forebodings. Uneasy and trembling, we call to our heavenly Father, and He answers, “Yes, my child, what do you want?” And to save us, we could make no better reply than that of the little child when she said, “Nothing, father, except I just wanted to know you were there.” If He is there—that’s enough! Just to feel the touch of His hand, quiets our hearts and reassures us that all is well.

A young man lay dying in a hospital. His mother was in the room, standing looking out the window, trying to hide her tears, while the nurse ministered to the dying boy. Presently the nurse looked at her and indicated that the end was at hand. The boy couldn’t see, although he was conscious. As the fog of death dimmed his eyes, he reached out his hands and asked, “Mother, where is your hand?” She moved to his side and slipped her hand into his. He drew it down upon his breast, closed his eyes, seemed to fall asleep, and was gone.

Like the comfort of that mother’s hand to that boy as he went out on the great adventure, is the comfort we receive from the hand of our heavenly Father as we go forth to face life and the unknown future. How good it is to lay our hands in His and hear Him say, “Fear not, I will help thee.’