Bible Reading: Psalm 37:25-31; Matthew 6:25-27

Paige whipped open the screen door and ran down the hallway. "Mom! Mom!" she called. "Is it true?"

"Whoa! Settle down there, honey." Dad met her and put an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Dad--Caleb Grant said his mom doesn't have a job anymore, and that all the plant workers have been laid off. You too? You're home from work already, so it must be true!" Paige felt like she was going to cry. "Dad, if you don't have your job any more, how will we pay Lucy's doctor bills?"

Just then Mom came down the stairs with Lucy. The baby's eyes lit up when she saw Paige, and she eagerly held out her arms.

Paige took Lucy in her arms and held her close. She remembered the time when Lucy was so sick and often had to go to the hospital for treatments. She had been such a quiet and dull baby then--not at all like the bright, happy baby she was now. Paige squeezed her little sister even tighter in her arms.

Dad saw the tight hug Paige gave Lucy. "Paige, whose arms are holding Lucy?"

"Um, my arms are holding her, Dad," Paige said, looking confused.

"Is she safe in your arms?" asked Dad.

Paige looked hurt. "Of course she is, Dad. You and Mom taught me to be very careful with Lucy. Don't you trust me with her?"

Dad smiled. "I do trust you. But think about this--a few minutes ago, you were worried because I was out of work. I know that's a scary thought. I'll admit that Mom and I feel a little shaken up about it too, but we've decided that we're safe in the arms that are holding us."

Paige stared blankly at her father for a minute. Then she smiled. "God's arms," she said quietly. "Our family is in God's arms."

"That's right," said Dad. "Jesus died for us so that we could be safe in His arms for all eternity. Even though we now find ourselves in a scary, uncertain situation, we can trust Him to take care of us."

Paige nodded, knowing it was true that God would help them, no matter what happened with Dad's job.

–Pamela G. Jones