If I were hiking through a forest that was home to numerous predatory animals, you can be sure that I’d prefer to sleep at night in a solid-wall cabin or cave rather than in a flimsy tent.
I know that the statistical likelihood of my becoming a midnight snack for a large carnivore would be very low, yet I also know that Murphy’s Law was seemingly crafted with me in mind.
I want a solid barrier between me and any sharp claws and teeth that might be lurking about.
I suppose you would want the same.
This yearning is why I so appreciate the promise of Psalm 34:7 regarding my faith and my Lord.
“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.”
Unless my memory is flawed, I don’t recall from scripture ANY example of godless armies attacking Israel’s camp during her 40 years in the wilderness. Why? Because the Angel of the Lord was encamped around the children of God as a pillar of smoke during the day and a pillar of fire at night.
Satan knew better than to directly confront the presence of the Lord. He’d done that before Creation and learned the hard way about the foolishness of such a plan.
The verse above reminds me of how the ancient shepherds protected the sheep during the night. If there weren’t a team of shepherds to share in the duty of protection, a shepherd would make a tall fence with a single gate. That way, no threat could come against the sheep except through that gate — right where the shepherd would position himself with his lethal staff.
A predator might launch an attack to get the sheep — and might even frighten the sheep — but they would be safe as long as they trusted the protection of the shepherd and didn’t run outside of the sheepfold (pen).
Listen, do your best to fear the Lord in terms of respecting, honoring, obeying, serving and loving the Lord. He promises to deliver you from destruction into a life of glory.
Jesus said He will never forsake us. Let’s make sure that we never forsake Him by faltering in our belief in His authority and love and thinking we’d be better off outside of His sheepfold known as the Church.
Even when the growling of enemies is loud and angry attacks lash out at our social or physical or financial lives, we can have the peace in our souls that surpasses all understanding.
As always, I love you
Martin
