A few months ago, while walking our dog, my husband and I noticed a tree branch hanging on to a telephone wire about twenty feet in the air. The branch, though small, had managed to straddle its two spindly legs (shaped in a V) on either side of the wire. How it got there, let alone managed to stay on, we weren’t sure, except that maybe its few leaves helped it balance.

Time went by, and still that branch remained, unmoved, in the same position. Every time we walked past it in the neighborhood, we’d look up, and notice it perched on the wire, despite its own small, light, stature.

Then one day a major storm blew in and all around, with upward of 40mph winds. I happened to be outside, around the corner, and up the street, where I saw that branch get scooted down the wire to the right, still hanging on, until it disappeared. At that point I was sure it was a “goner”.

A week passed, until two weeks ago. Out the door, around the corner, and up the hill (street) I went on my morning prayer walk, not noticing anything until on my way back down, having the “high view” of the vista below. That’s when I discovered the same branch, straddled in its original position on the phone wire!

Apparently it had held on to that wire the whole time, throughout the storm, taken to wherever it had gone, and returned “home” somehow (likely with another wind, going in the right direction).

Oh, if that branch could talk! “What a ride!” “Dude, that was scary!” “I didn’t think I was going to make it!” “Wow, how did I get back here?!”

Here’s what the Lord showed me through all this:

Like that branch, no matter how much the wind blows and buffets us, hang in there—hold on to Him and His power, and He’ll bring us back home.

He also holds onto us the whole time. From below, in the middle of our stormy circumstances, that hold may appear tenuous, but it’s really secure. He’s our stronghold.

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” Ps. 62:1-2

His constant hold on us gives us peace, power, and position in Him.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is. 41:10

From His perspective, we see He never disappears, even when we can’t see Him.

“’for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.’” Deut. 31:6

And He’s not letting go. Unlike the branch, which only has an inanimate phone wire to hold onto, we have our Father, who cares for us, protects us, and will never let us down.

The holding on is two-way. Even when we feel weary, tired, and about to lose our grip, as long as we value our relationship with Him, the only place we’ll fall is into His loving arms. He gives us the strength to keep holding on to Him when we ask Him for it.

We might also “disappear” for a while—into depression, discouragement, despair, doubt, disengagement with the Lord and others. And that “while” may seem never-ending, making it feel like we or He are gone for “good” (actually bad).

But even during those dark times He’s holding onto us and will bring us back, when we can’t bring ourselves back. Not by force, because in His love He’s given us free will. But by our recognition that He can and wants to, and letting Him do so.

“I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” Jer. 24:7

We may not even feel like it, or feel much different or closer to Him at first. But since He never let go to begin with, bit by bit we’ll recognize how He’s brought us back “home” with Him. Then, unlike the branch which can’t feel anything, we will rejoice in that truth, the way I did seeing that branch return, still held and holding secure on that phone wire!