Protection On Our Side
"The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Psalm 46: 7, 11 NIV)
Doubtless one of the biggest adjustments we are dealing with is being at home for longer periods of time, given the current Stay-At-Home order. When schools were closed, children either began to be homeschooled or put in day care for longer times. Parents and others who were able to work from home were mandated to, and those who are now classified as "essential" and continue to perform their duties as before also deal in many cases with the realities of families and others being at home for longer periods of the day.
For those who live alone, the isolation is the most challenging. Yes, modern technology has given us greater access to entertainment and opportunities to continue to reach out, as yesterday's devotional reminded us. But it is still a challenge to be forced to refrain from physical and face-to-face interaction. Indeed, the isolation can lead to a sense of fear - fear simply of being left alone. Even if we are around other people, we can still feel alone, because we feel like we are having to face everything on our own, without any help. Many people, especially those who live alone, also live in fear of being easy targets for burglars and looters. In other ways, we may feel vulnerable to attack. No matter what the particular circumstances may have been, at some point we have felt alone and abandoned, that we are simply left to our own devices, to fend for ourselves. We have felt completely vulnerable, without any protection, and that we are forced to face whatever our challenges are on our own.
Yet in those moments, we have the repeated reminder from today's Scripture passage: "The LORD Almighty is with us; the God is Jacob is our fortress." Even though it may seem like we are isolated, cooped up in our homes in a sort of "fortress" mentality against the coronavirus, and that we are alone to fend for ourselves, we can believe we are not alone.
We are not isolated - God is still with us. God is on our side. While we may be cooped up inside our homes, God is fighting our battles on the outside. While we may feel isolated and vulnerable, God is actually protecting us. He is protecting us, our families, our friends, and everyone else whom we know from danger. He is called the "LORD Almighty," or, originally, the "Lord of Hosts" because He commands legions of angels who fight for us and protect us on His behalf. With God and His angels both inside and outside our homes, we are always protected. We are secure. Many things may try to attack us, but ultimately they will not succeed, because they are trying to fight a power that is mightier than all, has never been defeated, and always triumphs - the power of God. God works His power to serve us, to show His love and care for us. God protects us because He loves us. We are worth everything to Him, and so much more, so He has a vested interest in making sure we are protected. He is fighting for us even now - and will ultimately win victory for us.
After all, that was what He accomplished by sending His Son - to die on the cross and rise again, defeating the power of sin, death, and the forces of evil. He demonstrated, by the death and resurrection of Jesus, that no power, not even the seemingly final power of death, can defeat Him. Nothing can stand in His way. Nothing can certainly stand in His way even now - He will defeat the coronavirus. We trust in His power and protection. We commend our loved ones, friends, and neighbors to His protection, and thank Him for His power surrounding us today. Let us trust in His power. Let us commend ourselves to His protection.
Doubtless one of the biggest adjustments we are dealing with is being at home for longer periods of time, given the current Stay-At-Home order. When schools were closed, children either began to be homeschooled or put in day care for longer times. Parents and others who were able to work from home were mandated to, and those who are now classified as "essential" and continue to perform their duties as before also deal in many cases with the realities of families and others being at home for longer periods of the day.
For those who live alone, the isolation is the most challenging. Yes, modern technology has given us greater access to entertainment and opportunities to continue to reach out, as yesterday's devotional reminded us. But it is still a challenge to be forced to refrain from physical and face-to-face interaction. Indeed, the isolation can lead to a sense of fear - fear simply of being left alone. Even if we are around other people, we can still feel alone, because we feel like we are having to face everything on our own, without any help. Many people, especially those who live alone, also live in fear of being easy targets for burglars and looters. In other ways, we may feel vulnerable to attack. No matter what the particular circumstances may have been, at some point we have felt alone and abandoned, that we are simply left to our own devices, to fend for ourselves. We have felt completely vulnerable, without any protection, and that we are forced to face whatever our challenges are on our own.
Yet in those moments, we have the repeated reminder from today's Scripture passage: "The LORD Almighty is with us; the God is Jacob is our fortress." Even though it may seem like we are isolated, cooped up in our homes in a sort of "fortress" mentality against the coronavirus, and that we are alone to fend for ourselves, we can believe we are not alone.
We are not isolated - God is still with us. God is on our side. While we may be cooped up inside our homes, God is fighting our battles on the outside. While we may feel isolated and vulnerable, God is actually protecting us. He is protecting us, our families, our friends, and everyone else whom we know from danger. He is called the "LORD Almighty," or, originally, the "Lord of Hosts" because He commands legions of angels who fight for us and protect us on His behalf. With God and His angels both inside and outside our homes, we are always protected. We are secure. Many things may try to attack us, but ultimately they will not succeed, because they are trying to fight a power that is mightier than all, has never been defeated, and always triumphs - the power of God. God works His power to serve us, to show His love and care for us. God protects us because He loves us. We are worth everything to Him, and so much more, so He has a vested interest in making sure we are protected. He is fighting for us even now - and will ultimately win victory for us.
After all, that was what He accomplished by sending His Son - to die on the cross and rise again, defeating the power of sin, death, and the forces of evil. He demonstrated, by the death and resurrection of Jesus, that no power, not even the seemingly final power of death, can defeat Him. Nothing can stand in His way. Nothing can certainly stand in His way even now - He will defeat the coronavirus. We trust in His power and protection. We commend our loved ones, friends, and neighbors to His protection, and thank Him for His power surrounding us today. Let us trust in His power. Let us commend ourselves to His protection.
Dear God, thank you for surrounding me with your protection and power all the time. Protect my loved ones and friends, and protect us all from danger. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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