Tom Barnard

“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

(Psalm 121:7, 8)

“Worry is an indication that we think God cannot look after us.”

Oswald Chambers

There is a fine line between being heroic and being stupid. When an individual exhibits uncommon courage in a life-threatening situation to save the lives of others, we call that person a hero. When an individual puts not only his or her own life at risk but risks the lives of innocent people in order to win a bet or prove a point, we call that person stupid.

Do you realize how often commercial advertisers use fear of the unknown to hawk their wares? Fear is a common reality about which some ad writers capitalize when creating commercials. Do you remember the image of that middle-age woman who speaks right into the camera to tell about her recent heart attack and how a certain product, taken shortly after the attack began, saved her life? Those who watch such commercials may ask themselves, “I’m older than she is, and if she suffers from a heart condition, I may suffer from the same problem. Maybe I should buy and use that product that saved her life.” Sold.

Humans, like other animals, instinctively act to protect or preserve their lives. But unlike other animals that react to stimuli as they occur, humans remember the past, relate the past to the present, and can project into the future. Unless they are trained or are paid to do otherwise, they instinctively avoid falling into harm’s way.

The question for today is, “What do we do to escape harm’s way when we are caught there, either through their own carelessness or through a situation that is beyond our control?” The psalmist has an answer. It is recorded in Psalm 121, the last two verses of which are printed above. Here is all of it:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not

slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches

over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the

moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord

will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Heavenly Father, forgive my lack of faith. Forgive me for believing in myself to the point that I don’t even think to cry out to you when things go against me or against the people I love. Help me to understand that “my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” How great is that! I turn to you now to show me the way through the multitude of pitfalls, temptations, and sins that rise up to challenge me. Save me from my fears. Let me see you in the full light of day—to realize that my safety is at the top of your agenda. And help me to understand that your commitment to my wellbeing is more than sufficient for “both now and forevermore.” Amen