Psalm 17:8-9 (The Message)
A David Prayer
8-9Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.
It's funny, as I continue on my way through psalms I am really drawn to verses like these. I wrote this draft weeks, ago, and without really thinking about it, but this post is very similar to my last one in that it's about God's protection. It's very coincidental but I guess that's what I'm looking for the most. I've never really felt about how much fear plays a role in my life - but if I'm constantly drawn to God's protection fear must be pretty important.
When I think about it, fear and insecurity leads to so many bad things. How many things do we do because we're afraid or insecure. When I'm afraid of losing my "stuff" I put walls and locks. Or worse I take proactive steps and I start attacking people who I perceive are a threat. I start to analyze people to determine if they're a threat or not. This leads to a vicious cycle where my distrust leads to another person's distrust of me - and in a worst case, we end up competing to be the first destroy the other. What ends up happening is that our fear and insecurity ends up leading us to very situation we fear in the first place.
God, we often find ourselves in situations where we are unsure. We are afraid. It might be a situation where we are confronted with new ideas. Initially, these ideas may seem to threaten our very beliefs and values. In the face of these new ideas, help us be secure and have faith in You and Your word. In these situations, help us seek to understand, not to be understood, that we might be an instrument of thy peace. For we understand that is only a strong faith can we seek to sow love where there is hate...instead of perpetuating more hate. There are many addicts, who still suffer, who are afraid and insecure. They have put up walls around them and usually suffer in isolation. Help them find security in you that they may bring down those walls. Guide them to a faith that allows them to stop hiding behind their addiction. To a faith that gives them a new life in Your word and Your way of life. A new life, of Your path, where in forgiving, we are forgiven. All this we pray in Your sons name, and our savior, Jesus - Amen.
Thanks so much for letting me share.
