Reason #661
Sometimes I have really random memories come back to mind. Nothing in particular will spark them. I'll just have a quiet moment and my brain will recall something from my childhood that I haven't thought about since it happened. It's funny how the mind does that, holding on to memories for a long time and deciding when to bring them up again.
Tonight I thought about one of the most terrifying moments in my life. I was probably about 9 or 10, and I had an experience where I was almost paralyzed with fear. I remember it well, and as it played out it seemed that it was going in a really bad direction. I don't really have many scary memories from my childhood, as I grew up in a safe and happy environment, but this scenario happened when I was away from my parents. Neither one of them was there to protect me, should something have happened, and I think that was what was the scariest part of it. Feeling completely defenseless and helpless, at the mercy of someone else and someone who was up to no good. But nothing happened, thank goodness, and until tonight I had never given this scenario a second thought.
Here's the thing, sometimes scary things happen. Sometimes, our safety is challenged and we are absolutely terrified. And sometimes, no matter how well we safe guard ourselves, it still doesn't seem like it's enough. And so I've entertained thoughts concerning my safety over the past few days and when it all comes down to it, I've come to realize that even at my best, I'm pretty defenseless and hopeless. I can't put up much of a fight or do a very good job of protecting myself. I am not strong, I'm not brave, I can't run fast, so yelling is about all I've got going for me. And so I read the news and I hear about the things going on in the world, scary things, and I begin to struggle with fear.
So the Israelites are stuck in Egypt still. Slaves even though they've been crying out for freedom forever now. And so God hears their prayers and sends Moses. The problem is that Pharaoh is being less than cooperative, thus bringing plagues and devastation on the land because of his defiance. Pharaoh has had many opportunities to free God's people the easy way, but he's refused and so God's done asking nicely. Plagues being to plague (for lack of a better word) Egypt. Blood, boils, gnats, frogs, locusts, hail, death, flies, and darkness. This is some scary stuff. No matter what the Egyptians do, they can't find refuge from these plagues. Each plague carried out the same on every one, except on God's people. And we see in Exodus 9, when God sends hail that destroys everything in sight, it doesn't fall on the land of Goshen, which just so happens to be where Israel resides.
I am so grateful that the Lord can do whatever He wants. And, as a matter of fact, I am so grateful that God is ultimately always in charge of what happens. That nothing goes on without His knowledge. That He can start and stop anything, and that He is always faithful to protect His people. You know, sometimes we hear stories and we don't always see God's protection on this side, but protection came in it's prime form through Jesus. Because even though our safety can be compromised when it comes to our bodies, our souls are secured.
And so I praise the Lord for His protection. For how He has watched over me for 26 years, undoubtedly getting me out of more binds than I am probably aware of. For how He has kept me safe when I didn't always make the safest choices, and for how He has held me close when I didn't feel so safe otherwise. What an incredible blessing to be sheltered and protected. To know that when we feel defenseless, we have a Defender. When we feel helpless, He's there to be our Helper. And I am grateful that He is always, always, in control of how things will play out.
#661 - Because He is the Defender of the defenseless and a Helper to the helpless.
"For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him." - Psalm 34:7
Tonight I thought about one of the most terrifying moments in my life. I was probably about 9 or 10, and I had an experience where I was almost paralyzed with fear. I remember it well, and as it played out it seemed that it was going in a really bad direction. I don't really have many scary memories from my childhood, as I grew up in a safe and happy environment, but this scenario happened when I was away from my parents. Neither one of them was there to protect me, should something have happened, and I think that was what was the scariest part of it. Feeling completely defenseless and helpless, at the mercy of someone else and someone who was up to no good. But nothing happened, thank goodness, and until tonight I had never given this scenario a second thought.
Here's the thing, sometimes scary things happen. Sometimes, our safety is challenged and we are absolutely terrified. And sometimes, no matter how well we safe guard ourselves, it still doesn't seem like it's enough. And so I've entertained thoughts concerning my safety over the past few days and when it all comes down to it, I've come to realize that even at my best, I'm pretty defenseless and hopeless. I can't put up much of a fight or do a very good job of protecting myself. I am not strong, I'm not brave, I can't run fast, so yelling is about all I've got going for me. And so I read the news and I hear about the things going on in the world, scary things, and I begin to struggle with fear.
So the Israelites are stuck in Egypt still. Slaves even though they've been crying out for freedom forever now. And so God hears their prayers and sends Moses. The problem is that Pharaoh is being less than cooperative, thus bringing plagues and devastation on the land because of his defiance. Pharaoh has had many opportunities to free God's people the easy way, but he's refused and so God's done asking nicely. Plagues being to plague (for lack of a better word) Egypt. Blood, boils, gnats, frogs, locusts, hail, death, flies, and darkness. This is some scary stuff. No matter what the Egyptians do, they can't find refuge from these plagues. Each plague carried out the same on every one, except on God's people. And we see in Exodus 9, when God sends hail that destroys everything in sight, it doesn't fall on the land of Goshen, which just so happens to be where Israel resides.
I am so grateful that the Lord can do whatever He wants. And, as a matter of fact, I am so grateful that God is ultimately always in charge of what happens. That nothing goes on without His knowledge. That He can start and stop anything, and that He is always faithful to protect His people. You know, sometimes we hear stories and we don't always see God's protection on this side, but protection came in it's prime form through Jesus. Because even though our safety can be compromised when it comes to our bodies, our souls are secured.
And so I praise the Lord for His protection. For how He has watched over me for 26 years, undoubtedly getting me out of more binds than I am probably aware of. For how He has kept me safe when I didn't always make the safest choices, and for how He has held me close when I didn't feel so safe otherwise. What an incredible blessing to be sheltered and protected. To know that when we feel defenseless, we have a Defender. When we feel helpless, He's there to be our Helper. And I am grateful that He is always, always, in control of how things will play out.
#661 - Because He is the Defender of the defenseless and a Helper to the helpless.
"For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him." - Psalm 34:7
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