Our Protector
By Shirley Mitchell
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.”
Psalm 18:2-3
This summer I attended two churches’ reports of their mission trips. One church group went to the Dominican Republic. One church group went to Haiti. Both church groups told similar stories about the difference in safety precautions in these countries compared to our country. Some stories were about the hair-raising traffic rides and their near-death experiences on the roads. Some stories were about the construction fatalities. Some stories were about people hanging off multiple story buildings. Death is a natural way of life over there. They do not have safety regulations for traffic, construction, and other things that endanger their lives like we have in the United States. They don’t have the information that we have in the United States about what is wise and not wise to do. They don’t have the money for the protective gear and equipment to ensure that every life is protected so they cry out to their gods for protection. If something bad happens, then they blame it on their gods. Or they blame it on the person who must have “upset” the gods.
I realized that we in America are so blessed to know the way to protect ourselves from accidents. However, I also realized that somehow in America we have come to depend on the wisdom that we have gained and followed safety precautions so much that we no longer depend upon God. Whenever a tragic accident happens, the news reports focus on what was the root cause, what government regulation could have prevented it, and what funding is necessary to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Don’t get me wrong. Gosh, I’m thankful to live in a country where we are so blessed with protection and with people who have so much compassion that they want to protect the lives of others. However, God was speaking something to my heart.
He put all of this together for me when my sister called my husband the other day. I was out of town, and she knew that she couldn’t reach me so she called my husband for comfort. Her toddler son had climbed up on the couch and jumped off of it into the coffee table. He had gotten a nasty cut just above his eye. She had to take him to the emergency room for stitches. She was feeling so guilty about it.
I know my sister, and she is a fabulous mother. She is an attentive mother. The kingdom of darkness was trying to heap shame on her. He was heaping disgust with herself upon her and telling her all sorts of lies. I could see right then what was going on. God has not changed His mind about her. No parent is perfect. If your kids survive or have survived you raising them without an accident, then you are in the minority. Thank God for His blessings, not your own parental abilities.
You see, in some strange way, we have made our wisdom and knowledge about safety a god here in America. Yes, it is a blessing to know so much about how to be safe and protect ourselves. However, we have forgotten where our daily dependency, blink-to-blink dependency originates. Our ultimate dependency comes from our God. He is the One who is our Rock where we can stand on hard ground and not shifting ground or quicksand. He is our Fortress and Refuge that we run to for protection. He is our Deliverer who saves us from harm.
When we cover our children, our family, and our loved ones each day in prayer, then we know that nothing will come our way that has not gone through the fingers of our loving, yet sovereign, God. When God lets something through, then we also know it is against His character to abandon or to be cruel to His children. There must be a higher purpose that we cannot discern.
Even Elisha became ill and died from the illness. He was a man who had done mighty things for God. He had gone up against powerful foes and stared down some evil kings. He had prayed, and God had raised someone from the dead. Yet, this mighty man of God became ill, could not heal himself, and God did not heal him.
In Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song “Yours,” he later added a verse about his beloved daughter Maria’s tragic death. When he had walked through the valley of death’s shadow that was so deep and dark that he could barely breathe, a comfort and hope broke through. He knew that he could say passionately and resolutely that the world and all of us belong to Him. God is in control, and He can do with us what He wants.
Pray with me: Almighty God, we want no other gods except You and You alone. Help us to live where we don’t take our safety for granted. You are the Maker and the Ruler of everything. Our government is not our god. Our government has been wonderful and an earthly tool for protection that has given us peace. Our education is wonderful and has given us knowledge that has enriched our lives and protection. However, the hand of protection that we truly lean on is Yours. Don’t let us lose sight and the foreknowledge that You are sovereign and in control. We are all Yours, and You can do with us whatever You wish. When accidents happen, we won’t beat ourselves up for being stupid because we are Your dearly loved children who were bought with a huge price. You highly esteem us. Instead, we press into You and all that we know about You. We trust You, Lord. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, I pray. Amen.