From the Edges – Morning Devotion Surrounded and Protected.

LENT – Day 17 – SURROUNDED and PROTECTED

Scripture focus – Psalm 91:4-6 (NIV):

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.”

Growing up, in a rural farming area in Southwestern PA. My sister Christine and I always had animals that we cared for. From chickens to sheep and goats, and a variety of other critters that were in our care. With it carried responsibilities to care for these animals. Chores became a way of life.

One of my sister’s early desires was to be a horse owner. Our parents taught us the value that if you desired  something enough, you would have to work and save for it.

Christine set out a goal to save enough money to have a horse. One of her very own, just saying horse ownership does require a lot of work. The day came she was able to acquire her very own horse after saving, watching ads in papers, etc. this horse that was named Sonny who was part Thoroughbred was brought home. Then the fun began, or I should say the work began.

An old building was converted into a horse stable, an electric fence was placed around the 3 acre plot to give Sonny free range but at the same time keeping him contained. We had many good years with Sonny, riding him, going on trail rides, it was a great time in life, and thinking back there were many fond memories.

This devotion is not just a walk down good memory lane, it is that I was thinking this morning about the electric fence. Just installing the electric fence to prevent Sonny from taking off to the next county, the fence also took care.

Sometimes after a storm or for no reason at all, something would fall on the fence breaking it and it would have to spliced so the current would continue to run through. Other instances was a stick or weed touching the fence and shorting out the current which left the fence without a current running through it.

Often, we walked the fence line to find the problem, remove the problem, or splice the fence, so the current could continue to flow through keeping safe keeping and preventing Sonny the horse from going off on his own.

That is what I am thinking this morning and reminded of as I pray the Lord’s prayer – especially the line “Keep us from temptation”. I think we need to realize the “surrounding of the Holy one” the surrounding of God’s power, might and care. But every so often it seems something shorts that current of the relationship with Jesus out. Something interferes with our relationship, shorts out our perception of the power or feeling of the power of God, or even breaks and in that we are vulnerable to breaking away and getting lost in a sea of distractions and unfaithfulness.

Maybe this lent is the time to walk the fence line of our life and realize what has broken our complete unadulterated relationship with Jesus. Maybe it’s time to remove those things which are shorting out the current. The current is still there, the power is still there we just can’t feel it because we have allowed something to short it out.

Today I’m praying. “Heavenly Father, thank you for your unfailing love, the promise of deliverance and surrounding us. Strengthen us in our moments of weakness and guide us away from the paths of temptation. May Your Holy Spirit empower