Moving towards vs. Away

Some one sent me a set of pictures this week. It involved a guy walking along praying for protection and then getting hit with a small rock. He, of course, grumbled about that. In the next frame, Jesus told him he was on the job protecting him but apologized if any of the small stuff rocks got through. It was cute and on the surface seemed to have a good message. I did not think anything about that email at the time, but the more I meditate on it; the more I believe it to be untrue.

He is perfect. He can not fail in protecting us. Therefore, if we are hit by the slings and arrows of the enemy, it is not his failure. It must, in someway, be ours. He tells us in the Psalms, he is a strong tower and the righteous run to it and are safe. When problems are on the horizon, are we headed toward Him or away from Him? In the midst of problems, where we are located, can determine the outcome.

I know as a child, my tendency when something happened, or I did something wrong, was to avoid the parents. As I learned to trust them, I began to stop doing that and learned to just 'fess up. The punishment was always easier and sometimes, it was avoided completely, since a free and open discussion of the issues at hand could occur.

If we move away from our Heavenly Father or practice avoidance, we place ourselves in such a location, that He can not help up. Not because He is not able, but because we are not listening and looking for His help. He loves us with an everlasting love that has already forgiven anything we might do. He will always help us because of Whose we are not because of what we are.

He is not just sitting there waiting to bust us one for fouling up. He is not waiting to tell us "I told you so". He lives in your heart, goes where you go, and is always there to help. His joy is our strength. His life is our life as is evidenced by Paul's statement that in him we live and move and have our being. His faith is the faith we have been given. Open yourself up and trust him. Love never fails and He IS LOVE!