SAFE is described as freedom from risk or danger. Ones feeling of security and protection. How many of us feel protected and secure? Each day when we leave to go to school or work do we really feel protected or do we have a false feeling of security. There are many objects and procedures put in place to make us feel safe. For example, automatic streetlights that change regularly so we can cross the street in an orderly manner. There are crossing guards at school crosswalks to guide us safely across the street to the other side. Does anyone often stop to contemplate the probability of an accident because a person failed to obey the streetlight or ran carelessly across the intersection and didn’t obey the crossing guard? But it does happen, and most likely because we can’t control everyone. We often take our safety for granted. Suddenly I was hit by this fact of taking our American regulations for granted when I visited China in the late summer three years ago. Crossing the busy bustling streets was at my own peril. I was forced to dart across wide streets as belligerent honking cars raced by. I ran because I didn’t want to end up as road kill. Fearing for my life had not been an everyday occurrence in America.
Looking back on my life as a small child living on a large farm in Idaho, I remember many incidents I had taken for granted. There are simply too many to mention here. But in my later years as I became closer to my dear lord, I realized he had been looking out for me all along. Sure, everyone goes through trials and tribulations because after all we are on a journey here and sometimes it is not an easy one. But the ability to depend on a loving Jesus as he showers his protecting love on us makes us able to face times when we suffer. And it makes it easier to know that the Lord also will be a refuge in times of trouble. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and I had just returned from church services. I was very tired because I had been up late the night before grading quarterly research papers and I still had a large pile of papers yet to grade and record. I felt a two-hour nap would be sufficient and then I would start the lengthy process. Never in my wildest dreams did I suspect a tragic or horrifying experience would be awaiting me. I don’t know how long I had been at rest, but as I turned over in bed I saw a gray ghostlike figure standing at the foot of my bed. I blinked my foggy eyes trying to clear them. Was I still dreaming or was there a person standing there blatantly staring at me? “Hello” the figure voiced to me as he started to move closer to the bed. Oh my Gosh, this was really a real person standing there and not an apparition! I knew I had two choices. I could run and try to make it out my front apartment door before he caught me. Or I could stay in bed underneath the covers hoping it was a dream and that he would just go away. Somehow I realized neither option seemed reasonable. And so underneath by breath as I so often had done as a child, I prayed! Dear God, What should I do?? At that moment, the phone next to my bed rang. I slowly reached for it and picked it up. It was my male neighbor Mark. I hardly knew him. He had never been to my apartment but I knew he liked to hunt and had guns. “Oh Mark I exclaimed, your coming over right away huh? And you’re bringing your 357 magnum. Good, I’ll see you right away. I hung up!” “Mark is on his way over and he is bringing his gun. You had better go, I exclaimed!” Within seconds the strange man at the end of the bed took off. As he ran towards the front door of my apartment, he bumped into Mark. And then he was gone, never to be seen again. I WAS SAFE!
Thank you Dear Lord, for your protecting love. Mark had called just in time. He had never called me before. Remember …GOD, is our good Shepard. For we are able to face times of danger for he takes care of his own. I hope that you too, will make God your dear Shepard and dwell in his protection. Allow his love as a foundation of joy, peace and purpose in your heart.
