Divine Protection

Scripture

If the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.

~ Psalms 124:2-3 (CSB)

Quote

I look only to the gracious protection of the Eternal One whose strengthening support I humbly solicit and to whom I fervently pray would look down upon us all.

~Martin Van Buren

David knew he had enemies and he was very aware that Israel had enemies. David also understood that his enemies were greater in number and much too powerful for him to subdue without God’s intervention. David always prayed before a battle because he realized that God would determine the outcome. One of David’s great marvels was God’s divine protection over him and his country. He knew beyond a doubt that had the LORD not enabled him to win in battle, his enemies would have swallowed him alive, they would have annihilated him and his kinsmen. It entertains me when I run into these folks who have these illusions of grandeur, this fantasy that everyone likes them. Let me give you a tiny dose of reality, everyone does not like you. Just as you have secret admirers that you know nothing about, you have secret haters that you know nothing about. Oh, I forgot, you’re the exception. Sorry friend, there are no exceptions. You may be despised for you ability, your appearance, your achievement or for your lack of character but you have enemies. I like David because he was realistic: he didn’t have his head in the clouds. He knew folks hated him enough to take him out and I’m not talking about lunch. When I read Psalm 124 yesterday, I began praising the LORD immediately. I don’t believe, I know I wouldn’t be here without divine protection. I probably may have more than one guardian angel but I know for sure that had God not shielded me, I would have been destroyed long ago and I gladly give HIM praise.

When I sat down to write this blog, a song popped into my mind. I thought it was ANGELS UP ABOVE US but the title is ANGELS AMONG USBecky Hobbs had been having strange sensations that something bad was going to happen. She would wake in a sweat from nightmares of a crash and think, “I’m not ready to die.” On her birthday, January 25, 1986, Hobbs was traveling with members of her band from a benefit performance in Albertville. It was pouring rain. The band’s van had stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of a four-lane highway when Hobbs looked up to see an 18-wheeler racing along the highway. Suddenly, the traffic light turned green for the van to move ahead. Hobbs realized the tractor-trailer rig was traveling too fast to stop and realized the band’s road manager didn’t see the oncoming truck. She yelled, “Stop!” Just as the road manager hit the brakes, the truck collided with the van. Miraculously, the band suffered only minimal injuries. If the van’s driver hadn’t slammed on the brakes, they likely would have been killed. That’s when Hobbs realized: the voice she’d heard the day before was that of her guardian angel. She scribbled down a song title, “Angels Among Us.” For several years, she would think about lyrics to go with the title. Then, at Christmas 1992, while sitting in her late dad’s recliner, she got another feeling: Finish the song. Working with friend and fellow songwriter Don Goodman, she did.

I was walkin’home from school
On a cold winter day,
Took a short cut through the woods
And I lost my way.
It was gettin’ late, and I was scared and alone.
Then a kind old man took my hand, and led me home.
Mama couldn’t see him,
But he was standing there,
And I knew in my heart
He was the answer to my prayer.
Oh, I believe there are Angels Among Us,
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love.
When life held troubled times
And had me down on my knees
There’s always been someone
To come along and comfort me
A kind word from a stranger
To lend a helping hand
A phone call from a friend
Just to say I understand
Now ain’t it kind of funny
At the dark end of the road
Someone light the way with just a single ray of hope.
Oh, I believe there are Angels Among Us,
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love.
They wear so many faces,
Show up in the strangest places
And grace us with their mercies in our time of need.
Oh, I believe there are Angels Among Us,
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love.
Reminds me of another song by the Monkees…“Hey, I am a believer. Not a trace of doubt in my mind!”
  • We were invited to a SS class party on Sunday night and to Bill and Carol Southern last night for a delicious meal. Carol is a great cook and I had a great appetite. Thank you Carol for a delicious meal.
  • What’s up with everyone having their Christmas Party on Wednesday night: Kelvin and Joe David both have done me wrong. I’ve told everyone repeatedly, I am free on Sunday nights in December, not Wednesdays: Thanks guys. I do admit, it would be hard to stay on my diet. I’ve done well until last night.
  • I really enjoyed the warm weather but it looks like the cold is coming and I still have a lot of outside projects to complete.
  • I think most of you are familiar with the cat below but if your aren’t you may want to check it out.

 

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