Keep Us.......

(photo mine)

As we prayed for a young man heading off for the Navy this morning, I found myself praying, “Lord keep him, as you’ve kept us…” My mind flashed by a dozen or more scenes of the hard times we’ve faced in our military lifestyle and second-guessed my prayer. But, no – God HAS kept us!

Once we commit ourselves to Him, He keeps us, protecting us in this world, but not from it. None of us is untouched. Evil reaches into us all, but it doesn’t have the authority to make us its victims.

Personally, I’ve seen a lot of sin and I’ve committed more than my share. But, I’m no victim to the forces that work against me.

Though God promises to keep us, we all have our own journey to travel through life; those journeys include being surrounded and influenced by both good and bad, allowing our hearts to be broken and remade – to rejoice and to weep.

Because we go through seasons of pain, sorrow or confusion does not indicate that God has abandoned us, far from it! Per that famous poem, this is when there is only one set of footprints. Though we may feel God is nowhere to be found, we’re often so self-absorbed in our own anguish that we can’t see He’s carrying us. He’s always closer than we can fathom, He will never put us down to stumble through life alone.

I cannot speak for you, but nothing I’ve suffered has been in vain. I’ve taken it all to God and placed it at His feet. He’s brought good out of it, though it, in itself, was not good. Through it, He’s taught me; He’s widened the scope of my vision. Even through my most painful experiences, I learn love. I scan everything for good. I get to choose to see the good or bad around me. I freely admit that I don’t see the good in everything. There are some horrible things that go on in this world that I can’t even wrap my head around. But, as they say, we can’t go putting periods where God has placed a comma.

This morning I felt a prick in my heart as we sang to God, “…I need You, oooh, I need You….” I need Him. I still need Him. I will always need Him. If any of us think we’ve outgrown our need for God, we’re deceived; pride has crept in. We were designed to need Him, always. I couldn’t help but smile as a warm glow washed over me. In that instant, I recognized anew my great need for Him, my dependence on Him and my never-ending love for Him.

I need everything God’s prepared for me, everyday. I welcome His presence in every second of my day, euphorically.

Have you been trying to “do it all” in your own strength and then perhaps blamed God when you failed? As in, “God, how could You let this happen…..?” Or do you make it a daily habit to ask Him first what He requires of you, then invite Him into everything you do, and allow Him free reign?

I can’t imagine a moment without Him.