Protected

JOHN HORSLEY

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) 

This summer we were priveledged to watch Canadian geese raise their goslings at a pond in our subdivision. They worked hard at doing what they needed to do to hide and nest the eggs. This kept the little ones out of harm's way until they were full grown. The male and female instinctively worked together and did what was needed to protect their family. 

There are predators where we live, such as coyote, bobcat, feral cats, and dogs. These animals are always a threat, but the geese instinctively did what was necessary to survive. 

When I was raising my children, I tended to do the same thing. When something came up in life, my instincts kicked in and I would start trying to solve the problem. My wife would offer help and I would say, "I've got this, I don’t need help." Most of the time, after struggling and getting frustrated, I would realize I needed my wife's instinctive wisdom and that using her insight would help us solve the problem. Lessons learned. 

The specfic lesson that a stubborn, bull-headed, self-seeking person like me had to learn when it came to my relationship with God was that He was for me, not against me. 

When I first started walking with God, I loved getting to know Him and worshiping Him. What took some time was learning that I could turn to Him about anything and everything to seek His wisdom and help. I also had to learn that He was for me. 

I think God is metaphorically sitting in the bleachers as you do life, cheering you toward the prize. He wants you to win. He made you for victory and He is doing all that you will let Him do for you to be successful in your faith life. 

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." (1 John 4:16) 

He abides with you in all you do. Listen for His cheers. Snuggle down into His protective feathers.