Our Protector    

We must learn to live on the heavenly side and look at things from above. To contemplate all things as God sees them, as Christ beholds them, overcomes sin, defies Satan, dissolves perplexities, lifts us above trials, separates us from the world and conquers fear of death.  A.B. Simpson

I have told many stories of my childhood and I thought today would be a good day to share another of those stories.  When we were kids we always had dogs, cats, chickens, cows, horses and ducks and at one time we even had guinea pigs. 

Puppies and dogs were always my favorites.  We had a German shepherd huskie named Penny who had puppies.  We each got to pick our puppy and name them.  There was Macy, Tippy, Flip and Geraldine.  There was never a time when we didn’t have a dog.  When I was a little older Mom and Dad gave me a puppy.  I named her Khaki because she was that color.  She was a German shepherd huskie.  At the time we also had a pit bull named BJ. 

BJ was a tough character.  He had muscles on top of muscles.  We all loved BJ.  Because he was such a tough character, we had to keep him on a chain in the back yard for the safety of the neighbors.  We had a state trooper neighbor who would come over every so often and he always gave BJ a wide berth so to speak.  In other words he never got too close to BJ. 

Khaki was still a puppy and she was able to run all over the yard.  One day the neighbors full grown 70lb German shepherd started chasing Khaki across the yard.  Khaki took off running and raced around the house toward the barn.  As far as we knew she never went near BJ or his house.  On this particular day we were near the barn when we saw her come running around the house with the neighbor’s dog hot on her heels. 

She was making a beeline for BJ and his house.  I took off running after her because I didn’t know what BJ would do to her when she got in his territory.  She shot past BJ and ran into his house and sat down.  As soon as the neighbor’s dog got a look at BJ he skidded to a halt.  At this point BJ is lunging at the end of his chain trying to get to the German shepherd.  Khaki is calmly sitting in BJ’s house watching the fireworks.

I could just imagine Khaki’s puppy thoughts.  “Come get me now you big bruiser.  I dare you.”  We never worried about her after that because BJ was her lifelong protector after that day.  He would let her sit in his house and eat his food and he never bothered her. 

When I think about this story I think about God our Father.  He is our Protector when life gets tough.  When Satan is knocking at our door we have a Protector who never fails.  The thing is we don’t have to worry whether He will be there or not.  He is always available and we have nothing to fear.  I want to be like my long ago puppy who knew exactly where safety could be found.  Our safety is found in the Father.   

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I find You in the simplest of things.  I see You in the stories of my childhood and in the everyday circumstances of life.  You are the place I go to when I need rest.  I praise You for being my Protector and Savior.  There is no one who can separate me from Your love.         

Scripture:    Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4