Perfect Protection

                "Protect me as the pupil of Your eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings".   
                                                                Psalm 17:8




Out of all the Psalms that David wrote, there are only three Psalms that are classified as prayers: Psalm 17, Psalm 86, and Psalm 142. In each of these Psalms, David is in a place in his life where he feels vulnerable and is desperate for God to act on his behalf. Often, he speaks of being pursued by enemies and how God is the only One who can truly rescue him from the dangers that surround him. While we do not know for sure what is happening to him, it is quite likely that these are the times when he is being pursued by King Saul. But, whatever the specific details in his life really were, we know that he understands both the potential risks as well as his own vulnerabilities and he cries out to God as a result of what he sees coming against him.

In Psalm 17, David asks God to protect him as the pupil of God's eye. This is an amazing verse because it shows us how deliberate and careful God is in His protection over our lives. The eye itself is protected by many layers. The first layer is the tear film and there are three layers within the tear film. The second layer is the cornea and there are five layers within the cornea. The third layer is the iris and the iris has three layers. The fourth layer is a transparent crystalline lens and there are four layers within the crystalline lens. The fifth layer of the eye is the retina and there are ten layers within the retina. The sixth layer of the eye is the choroid and it is filled with blood vessels to supply blood to the retina.The seventh layer of the eye is the sclera and it covers the whole eye to the cornea to allow movement of the eye.

In addition to the multiple layers within the eye, God also created the eyebrows, eyelashes, and eyelids to help protect the eye. These are the fences, if you will, that help to keep foreign objects or particles from entering the eye. So, God created barricades and fences and multiple layers of defense to keep the pupil safe.

On a larger scale, if you think about our automatic responses when we are about to fall or an object is flying in the air, it is always to shield our eyes. Instinct teaches us how valuable our eyesight is and the whole body responds with agility and dexterity when a threat is recognized. It is as if our whole body was created to shield and protect the most vulnerable of our members.

It is no coincidence that this is how David prays when he, too, feels the most vulnerable. God is showing him that no other can see the way that our omniscient God can see or can protect as our omnipotent God can protect. No matter how sever or imminent the threat may be, there is no one or nothing that will not be anticipated or averted by our mighty God. David could rely on the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God to really be there for him when he needed it the most.

The same is true for each of us. When we are in distress or feel like the enemy is coming at us in different directions, we can do as David did and cry out first to our God in prayer. We can ask for His perfect protection which includes more than just physically protecting us.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word protect means "to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction; to maintain the status or integrity; to defend; and to provide a guard or shield." Some synonyms of protect are: to assure, to care for, to insulate, to safeguard, to save, to secure, to shelter, to harbor, to hedge, to screen, to shade, to cover all bases, to give refuge, and to watch over.

God is faithful and "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). When we know Jesus personally, we are "complete in Him" (Colossians 2:10) and He is the One who "supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

In Psalm 17, David asks God for vindication, protection, and salvation (or rescuing) from his enemies. Apparently, David could have taken matters into his own hand and killed King Saul himself, but, instead, he waited patiently as an exile in the wilderness for God to protect and sustain him. David understood that his enemies would not ever be able to cross any line that God had drawn and he would depend on God's goodness and surrender to the refining process that God had placed in his life. David also knew that in God's timing he would see vindication, protection, and salvation.

This did not mean that David was protected from difficult situations, but it did mean that God was with him and gave to him everything he needed not only to survive, but also to thrive and grow in strength. God was preparing David for kingship and all the privileges and responsibilities that went along with that title. The vehicle that God used in David's refining process was ungodly men, which I am sure was very hard for David to fathom, but ultimately, vindication would shine forth when David had cultivated the humility and wisdom to know how to use it only for God's glory.

Most evenings as we say our evening prayers, Christians around the globe pray for God's protection over their families and loved ones. Often, we imagine that God will insulate us from all the difficulties and dangers that this world tries to hurl in our direction. However, our knowledge is limited and incomplete because God knows that we are "sealed with the Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the day of redemption" (Ephesians 1:13-14). His desire is that we feel secure in His love and in His power and not place our security in a temporary world that is not really our home.

The only security that is eternal and unshakable is God, Himself. His love is the very thing that we can be assured of everyday. And, when we are in the center of His will, we know that He will be glorified and that only His will will prevail. No "weapon formed against us will prosper"  and we will "refute every accusation" (Isaiah 54:17). This is our heritage as God's children and "our vindication will come from God" (Isaiah 54:17).

Though there are definitely days when it seems as if the enemy is advancing and evil is prevailing, in the end, we know that this is definitely not so. Jesus has already obtained our victory and we are covered by the blood of the Lamb. We will always be secure in Him and know that He will eternally protect us as the pupil of His eye. It is in this that we can rest securely, knowing that in Christ we forever are perfectly protected!


"If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer- His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable. "
                                                              John Newtonthe

The Throne Of Grace

"It is altogether right when our humiliation draws us to the Lord and our conscious need drives us to the throne of Grace."
                                                    Charles Spurgeon




As this is Easter week, churches around the globe will remember the Gospel stories of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. People will fill the pews of of every denomination to honor and reverence the life and story of Jesus. Sincere hearts will flock in droves to be a part of something that they know is bigger than themselves and has the utmost significance and purpose. Easter outfits will be purchased and the families will gather together to honor the Lord.

What is most often reflected upon during this time is the physical anguish that Jesus experienced during His crucifixion, followed quickly by the victory and celebration that occurred shortly thereafter.  However, often we miss the significance of the emotional suffering that He experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. And, it was this emotional pain that vexed His soul just as much as the physical pain wracked His failing body. This was His one-two punch as He physically exited our world.

The reason I think this is especially poignant this year is that I know many people in the body of Christ who are hurting emotionally. And, I believe that it is outlined in Matthew 26 for us of how Jesus handled and stewarded these intense emotions that can be helpful for its today. He beautifully gives us an example of what we are to do when our emotions are running deep and we are not quite sure what we should do with them.

First and foremost, Jesus ran to the throne room of grace. Three times, He boldly went to His Father while He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though He had taken Peter, James, and John with Him to be a support, they had fallen asleep and were no support for Him at all. The only One who was truly there for Him during His duress was His Heavenly Father. And, it was during Jesus' weakest moments that He relied the most heavily on the One who would never turn Him away or let Him down.

He stewarded His emotions in this extreme trial by using emotional wisdom in dealing with all the feelings that were in His "heart". The book of Proverbs tells us that the "heart" is the control center of our souls. Our hearts are filled with emotions because we are made in the image of God. We are not to deny them or diminish them if we are to live lives that wholly glorify our God. And yet, we are to acknowledge them and steward them well.

Our emotions are affected by our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Our hearts can become threatened (Proverbs 13:12) when the answers to our prayers are delayed or even denied. This is when we lose our hope and become convinced that we will never experience our deliverance or our desired blessings. This verse goes on to say that "when the desire comes [again], it is a tree of life". This desire can only be restored when we boldly go to the throne room of grace and it is there that God will give us fresh assurances and new promises for us to believe in once again.

The name of the Garden of Gethsemane literally means an "oil press". It is during these times of pressing that God brings out of us all that lies deep within our hearts. Some of it will be good, and some of it will not be so good. It is human nature to try to focus only on the good, but it is when we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us removing what is rancid that we will be fully restored. This is not an easy process. While Jesus was God and had known no sin, He even cried out in a loud voice His "soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38) during His pressing.

Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to Him, and yet He chose to make Himself vulnerable. That was His price of love for us that He was willing to pay. And, when we do this for the sake of others, it is likewise displaying the very love of Christ. Especially in a culture that scoffs at and mocks weakness and vulnerability. However, found embedded within this vulnerability is the ability to find our voice and passion that God has placed within us.

Even in His darkest hour, Jesus did not run from His feelings and emotions. He did not push them down. He did not deny that they existed. Instead, He learned to sit with them and become comfortable with them. Previously, Jesus had prophesied both the denial of Peter and the betrayal of Judas. It was now that He chose solitude and prayer to process all the events that had unfolded as they celebrated the Passover (Matthew 26:36).

After He approached the throne room of grace, Jesus then shared His emotions and specific prayer requests with Peter, James, and John, whom He trusted (Matthew 26:37). Note that He did not share them with anyone that He could not trust. And, even though He knew that Peter was flawed and would still deny Him, He also knew that Peter would repent and become one of His most loyal followers, even to the point of death.

Jesus continually went back to His Father and entrusted all His emotions to Him over and over. He even asked for the cup to pass to pass from Him if it was God's will (Matthew 26:39; 42). He repeated this as often as it was necessary to obtain peace and receive God's comfort.

Then, Jesus rested in the finality of God's decision and chose to move forward to accomplish God's purposes in His life. This was not an easy decision and He did not take lightly the process that was involved for Him to get to this place of unconditional trust. However, Jesus focused on the new truths that God had set before Him, and that could only be done by spending time in His Father's presence.

So today if you are feeling the weight and intensity of any emotional duress and agony, think about the way that Jesus modeled for us to steward our emotions well. While it is common in the church today for people to say that our wrestling is a lack of faith or a moral weakness, I would declare quite the opposite. In fact, I would say that it is within these seasons of wrestling and searching for our answers, that it becomes the very catalyst that God will use to catapult us into our destinies in Christ! Therefore, sweet friends, run boldly to the throne room of grace! This is where you will find mercy in your time of need!

                                           HAVE A VERY BLESSED EASTER!