"The LORD will protect you from all harm..."

Wow! This week was quite a journey for me! I'm not quite sure I can accurately explain the incredible lessons the Lord has taught me over the past few days...but I'll try! It's too good to skip journaling!

I'm participating in a Beth Moore study about the Psalms of Ascent. Specifically, Psalm 120-134. First off.....AMAZING!!! I never knew such morsels of artistry were hidden in these passages! Psalm 120 describes the traveler (person on pilgrimage to worship in Jerusalem) expressing his current conditions. He lives in a faraway land filled with deceit and conflict, and he is longing to return to Jerusalem. He is allowing himself a pity party. I may not live or work among people who cause conflict, but I recognized that I live among my own self doubt and insecurity. I often doubt my faith and my ability as a mother, wife, and effective Christian woman. I love the part in verses 3 & 4: "What will He give you, and what will He do to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior's sharp arrows, with burning charcoal!" If I were to personalize these phrases, it would look like this: "What will He do to you, you self-doubt and deceitful insecurities? A warrior's sharp arrows with burning charcoal!" How powerful! To see my own negative thoughts be crushed by God's truth! Amazing!

Then we moved on to chapter 121. And it was here that I had the most struggle:

1 I raise my eyes towrd the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
5 The LORD protects you;
the LORD is a shelter right by your side.
6The sun will not strike you by day,
or the moon by night.
7 The LORD will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
8 The LORD will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.

OK, so I get the part about Him never sleeping or slumbering. He never looks away. That is quite powerful in itself! My sister worded it this way, in a recent email: "Jesus alluded to feeling forsaken by the Father, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' And I believe he was spiritually despondent as 'he who knew no sin became sin for us' and was cursed. For the first time, God the Father had to turn his head away from God the Son. But he did it 'so that we would become the righteousness of God.' What that means to me is that Christ went to the greatest lengths to ensure I would never see the Father turn his head away from me." Amen! And praise Him!

But the part that I kept getting stuck on was verses 7 & 8, "The LORD will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The LORD will protect your coming and going both now and forever." It was very difficult for me to believe that, when I've seen harm fall upon people of faith. Whether it's cancer or tragic death or even persecution for faith. So, how could that scripture be true??

Well, I am blessed to have women of faith in my life. And these are the women I turned to with this question. And they certainly helped me understand! I have come to the conclusion that Psalms 121 was referring to the spiritual self...rather than the physical self. Oops! How narrow minded was I?? LOL!!

I realize how physical minded we are in our culture. Yet, as these Psalms were being penned, the Israelites had come out of captivity. Slavery. They had undergone harsh treatment and generations of longing for their own home. Yet, they could still honestly say, the LORD is our Protector. They obviously understood something I did not. No matter what our physical being may endure, nothing...NOTHING...can destroy the covenant that God has made with our soul.

Again, think back to the New Testament church. As my sister reminded me, Jesus, along with every disciple (except John), was killed for their faith. Living for the LORD in that time meant tough living conditions. Pain. Discomfort. Even persecution. Yet, again, they knew that NOTHING could separate us from that covenant with God. Our salvation is secure.So...this is how I have related that to my life today: we live in a culture where it is believed that PAIN=BAD or PAIN=GOD IS NOT HERE. After all, if I would not wish painful or uncomfortable circumstances on my own kids, then how could God allow those things for us?? But, I'm learning that rather than GOD changing His parenting style (LOL!), perhaps I need to change MINE!

Yes, we are so focused on providing a posh lifestyle for ourselves or our kids and protecting them from uncomfortable situations. Yet, perhaps I can learn from God to allow those uncomfortable situations, or even pain, be apart of our lives. Perhaps PAIN=BLESSING??? I think so. But, whoa! How opposite my natural thinking!

And then, as I approach my own attitude, I guess I am now viewing God in a new way! I finally understand HOW he is our Protector! Here is an excerpt from the Beth Moore study that first prompted this topic. I underlined it about a thousand times! LOL! It says:

"In Matthew 10:28, Christ said, 'Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul.' I'm human just like you, and these words can seem like small consolation as we travel this dangerous turf. But when our eyes are truly opened and we see all the ways hell rose against us, the Devil wanted us, and God hid us in the shadow of His wings, we will drop on our knees and worship the Maker of heaven and earth."

Holy Smokes! The REAL dangers are in the spiritual realm! And I may never know all the times God has hid me under His wing and protected me from those scary spiritual attacks. Lord! Forgive me for EVER doubting you as my Protector! This has obviously been very sobering for me. Lots to chew on here!