Thankful Thursdays: God’s Protection

It's Thursday and I'm thankful for God's Protection!

I thought of Psalm 91:11 (a verse in The Holy Bible) earlier this afternoon, when I saw what is becoming a familiar sight at one of my favorite town centers. 

When I drove into the town center earlier today, I saw for the second time this year, a squad of men and women dressed like secret service agents (people with “serious” no-nonsense looks on their faces who are dressed in Black slacks, Black blazers, white shirts, shiny black shoes and wearing ear pieces to communicate with each other). Just like the first time I saw them, they descended on the town center and set themselves up on the four corners surrounding the area in which a cupcake shop is central. They had the entire area covered. Each guarded a checkpoint. Each person looked serious as they surveyed their surroundings and if they had a weapon, it was concealed. 

I do not know who these secret service agents were guarding but I think the person may be a high-profile politician or government employee given the area that the town center is located. It’s only a few miles away from important places where people in power gather for business and work-related matters.

It’s the second time this year that I’ve seen this happen. But today was the first time that my mind drew a parallel and life lesson from this scenario.

Ready to hear it?

Here it is: After today, I realized that just like those secret service agents guarded every corner of the area where their Very Important Person (VIP) was visiting, staying vigilant and ready to defend the VIP if needed, God sends His Angels from Heaven to guard us every single day, in every way!

The Bible says in, Psalm 91:11, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.”

According to Belief Net (website), “This translates literally to mean that God will instruct His angels to watch over individuals. God will give each of His angels a purpose: to guard His children. Those who are faithful will be under the constant care of His angels.”

It’s comforting to know that God’s Angels are always watching over you and me, guarding us and delivering us from evil. They are stronger and smarter than the world’s best-trained secret service agents and unlike mere mortals like you and me, they will NEVER fail an assignment to cover us. They cannot be killed and they are very skilled at doing God’s will.

The Bible also says in Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.”

According to Belief Net (website), “The angel of the Lord can mean any one of God’s angels. In this passage, it is noted that God would send His angels down to His true loyal children and rescue them from danger. His angels will lift us up and keep us from harm if we choose to trust in Him.”

Situations in life can be scary but you don’t need to be a VIP to be covered by God’s protection. God has promised to be with you wherever you go. He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He’s holding you close in His Hand (Isaiah 41:13) and taking care of you from the moment He wakes you up in the morning (believe it or not, it’s not our alarm clock that wakes us up) to the moment you go to sleep for the night then His angels are on guard as you sleep! 

God’s protection over all of His children here on Earth is a 24/7/365 operation. He has unlimited resources to help us and deliver us from evil. All we need to do is trust Him to take care of us and obey Him. Remember, there are consequences to our sinful actions but God is merciful. He’s ready to forgive you of your sins if you ask Him. But then He expects you to turn away from your sins and seek Him. Life can be messy but God is with you in your mess. He will never give up on you! I’ve heard stories of how He’s protected people in the middle of their mess and rescued them from dangerous situations.

Point is: If you believe in God, you’ve already got a protection squad in the form of His Heavenly Angels. You may not be able to see them but they are always with you. God’s Angels are here to help us make it through our journey here on Earth. Hebrews 1:4 (KJV) says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

So next time you’re in a situation that scares you, ask God to send His protection. Pray for His protection even when you cannot sense danger or think that everything is okay. Remember, God sees what we cannot see and He protects us more than we may think! So don’t only ask God for protection, thank Him for it!

Trust and believe that your Creator (GOD) loves you. He is there for you, sending His Angels to protect you and guard you in all your ways. Best of all, you don’t need an ear piece to communicate with God, He’s only a prayer away and He knows what you need even before you pray!

Perhaps God’s Protection can be summed up in the words of Isaiah 65:24 (KJV) in which He says, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”

Isn’t God Awesome?

In closing, I’d like to share this song, “Angels Watching Over Me” by Virtue. You can listen it to here. God bless you, dear hearts! 

Always remember that you are loved and protected by your Maker (God)!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of "God is Love" blog

Falling in Love with Jesus: Six Foot Deep

Welcome Juan-Jose to the blog! He works as an author and spends time tutoring school age children and youth. 

Today, he's here to share a story from his youth. Juan would like to tell you how nearly drowning in six-foot-deep water led him to believing in Jesus Christ as his Savior. Curious to find out why or better yet how? Read on to discover the answers your questions! :)

~*~

Six Foot Deep

A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Juan-Jose D. Garza

For years, as Luke Skywalker was hungry to know about the Force in the Star Wars fictional universe, I wanted to know what were God and His love. I wanted to have my own experiences. My mother was a church musician and most of my family was church people, especially my Uncle Ronald.

“God loves you,” Uncle Ronald would tell me, regularly, though I never believed him. “All you have to do is call His name and you can do anything. Just ask, and His angels will arrive.”

As a kid, I would ask all of the clergy at the different churches my mother played for whether or not it worked the way my uncle suggested, but every time I inquired, I never got an answer that had any substance. My mother saw me ask these adults questions, and she told me, “Just call on His name. He loves you, but you just need to believe as you get older.”

When summer 1995 arrived, I was allowed to go to the big kid pool in the summer program I attended. Knowing the third-grade would meet me later that September, no one could tell me that I had not crossed that coming of age threshold. This was an important trip because I was not escorted as a toddler by my mother. At the time, this neighborhood was new for me, so I was not comfortable, but I knew I would not voice any opposition. For that opposition would result in this great moment to be over with.

The sponsor looked at the collective whole, and inquired whether we all knew how swim. Before this date, my last remembered experience in a swimming pool was five years previous, and before that experience, I was held in my mother’s arms. So, like my companions, I agreed that I knew how to swim (though my heart screamed that I did not.).

Similar to now, all of my friends were taller than me. So as they moved further away from me, I wanted to catch up to them, but as each step was placed, I was met with more water touching my head. Flexing to show its superiority, the pool’s water held me down. My feet would touch the bottom. I propelled myself upward, attempting to imitate Superman, but as I rose above the water in what felt like adequate time to scream “Help Me!” I now know it was seconds. Three times this occurred, and each time I was more exhausted than previous attempts. There was no hope. For no one who was once near me, was there for my aid, and the last thing I said, as my eyes saw the number six directly in front of me, was, “Jesus, help me!”

“Garza? Garza! Garza!!!” screamed our sponsor, standing over me. “Get up! What were you doing in the six-foot section?”

Coughing, my eyes opened. I was met by our sponsor, teenage aides, and every eye who was in the pool. Smiles of relief acknowledged me. From my perspective, I knew only seconds had passed, but I could see long-suffering’s stress and fear litter their faces.

“Welcome back, Mr. Garza,” the sponsor told me, as I stood from the pool’s side. “You scared us.”

“I told you I could swim,” I said, as my legs wobbled like a newborn horse. “Let’s go swimming.”

“Yeah, right, Garza. You’re supposed to be gone, but it’s like you got angels working for you. You better thank God.”

From that moment on, my life was different. I knew that God loved me, and was forever watching me. For Psalms 91:11 says, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” And ever since, I fell in love with Jesus because he loved me first.

~*~
Author bio:

Juan-Jose D. Garza is a fifth-generation Washingtonian. He is a graduate of Washington Adventist University, where he studied journalism, political science, and earned a Masters in Business Administration. 

He has written numerous feature articles and inspirational pieces for over a dozen print and online publications, tutors children ages four to 17, serves as a church drummer and worked, volunteered, and consulted for over 20 political campaigns. 

Most recently, under his pen name Zay Heron, he has authored three novels previously, as his newest, An Erratum, will be available December 1.