God`s Protection
by John Berry
The recent storms in the UK have been demonstrating the enormous power of creation over the works of man. Flood defences, sea walls and many other engineering efforts have been unable to stop the water flooding. In places, hastily erected walls of sandbags have deflected the water’s progress, but then there has been unstoppable ingress from below, as the ground water has risen through floors and roads.
Where I live, about 100 meters from the beach, several hundred years ago there was an embankment built, which provides some restraint to the relentless tides. Recently the tide surged up to 8.1 metres above low water level and combined with waves of several metres, threatening to come over the crest and on to the housing area we live in. Our home would have been deluged and submerged if that had happened. In fact the tide did get on to the crest, but not far enough over to do major damage, although many thousands of tonnes of pebbles and beach were washed away. The bulldozers and trucks have been hard at work seeking to re-instate the beach to prevent further erosion – until the next storm.
Whilst many opinions have been expressed about what ought to have been done to prevent the flooding, the fact remains that we can`t control nature in the way we think we ought to! Our defences are woefully inadequate to deal with the physical storms of life. Centuries ago King Canute proved the point on the same beaches now being storm-battered. Maybe God is saying something to us in all this?
However much we try and safeguard ourselves against the attacks of the enemy, the catastrophes of human existence and the effects of our iniquitous human nature, we always come short of the mark. We are not God! However, He can and does protect us.
The Psalmist declares `Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you` (Psalm 5:11). By trusting ourselves to God’s protection, we are kept safe from the enemy and given reason to rejoice and be glad. Of course this doesn`t mean that bad things won`t happen. Believers still get flooded, wounded, or even killed. But the truth is that when we`re under the spiritual protection of the Lord there`s a place of inner safety, which is unassailable by the enemy.
As the prophet Habakuk says: `Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour` (Habbakuk 3:17-18).
We thank God for the works of man that do help us in the struggles of life, but more so we praise Him for His protection over us as the enemy prowls around and seeks to damage us.
Prayer: Thank You, Father God, for Your enduring protection for us in the storms of life, so that our spirits are safe, no matter what we experience in the flesh. Thank You too for those times when we`ve been physically saved from disaster by Your amazing intervention. Amen.
John Berry entered the Baptist Ministry more than 40 years ago, and joined the Team at Ellel Glyndley Manor in 2007 with his wife Jennie. They have both now retired from the team but remain as part of the Teaching and Associate Ministry Teams at Glyndley. John and Jennie have seven Grandchildren.
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