In Better Hands

I met someone last week who is the personification of the song “In Better Hands” by Natalie Grant and its powerful lyrics. His name is Harold and he serves breakfast at the restaurant in the Nashville Hilton.

Harold is from the southern part of Louisiana. A few days before Hurricane Katrina hit, he and his family decided to leave the area for safety’s sake. Harold, his wife and their 2 children packed up a few changes of clothes and other necessities. Concerned about possible flooding, Harold wrapped up pictures, valuables and other irreplaceable items and tucked them away in his attic between the rafters. They then traveled a few hundred miles away by car to get out of the path of the storm.

Thankfully he and his family escaped injury. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of their home. They returned to find their house destroyed. All their belongings, including the pictures and valuables tucked away in the attic were now buried somewhere under the 5 feet of putrid sludge that filled what was left of their home. The worst part of all, however, was losing his Mother and Mother-in-Law who both died as a result of the storm.

Harold said that his insurance company, you know, the one that says that you’re in good hands when you’re insured by them, found a technicality in the fine print of his policy allowing them to refuse to cover his losses.

I asked Harold how he held together through it all. He simply pointed heavenward. He said that he had to be strong for his kids and his wife during it all and that strength came from God. Several churches pulled together to help provide his family with the necessities until they could get back on their feet. And, now, three years later, thanks be to God, his life is finally starting to return to a new state of normal.

So, whose hands hold your life? There is only one set of hands prepared to carry you through the difficult times we are all eventually bound to face. Natalie’s song says it well, “I am strong all because of you. I stand in awe of every mountain that you move. I am changed, yesterday is gone. I am safe from this moment on. There’s no fear when the night comes round, I’m in better hands now”