...other meditations

keep your guard up

have you ever got burned? i am asking you this question because last week, i did. allow me to explain my experience. i had the unique pleasure of helping my father take off old shingles from the roof. it was hard work, but thankfully the sun didn't peek out from the clouds too often. with the sun hidden, it felt like a cool 65 degrees. it turned out to be a great working environment-especially knowing it could have easily become a searing hot frying pan within minutes. everything looked free and clear and there seemed to be no danger in sight. or was there?

after the second day, i realized something that was so obvious in the mirror that i had not noticed otherwise. i had received sunburn! my cheeks and nose were red and the tips of my ears took the brunt of the abuse. they actually blistered. ouch!! i still cannot believe that i didn't feel myself burning. i, unfortunately, discovered it too late. if only i would've protected myself with some sunscreen or a hat, i could have saved myself some discomfort. but, at the time, i felt i didn't need any of that. i was fooled.

this is how life is sometimes; no matter what path you are walking. we live our lives…only to get burned. why? answer: because, we let our guard down. we believe in God, live a good life, and honor most of the ten commandments, and still we allow ourselves to give in to the idea that everything is okay. thus letting many important aspects of our lives suffer, such as family, friends, jobs and most importantly our relationship with Jesus Christ. when this false sense of security flows in, we lose sight of our Rock and Creator. if the Word of God is not imbedded in our hearts and minds, and if we don't put Christ Jesus in the lead, we can be vulnerable to anything. below is a scripture passage that needs to be meditated on. pay very close attention to verse 8 where it says, "i have set the Lord always before me. because He is at my right hand, i will not be shaken." these words of instruction are for all of us. this is our sunscreen for life. we must cover ourselves with the sun block of God's Word so that we are able to stand firm when life's brush fires sweep in.

do not be deceived! don't let a great day or a good week fool you into letting your guard down. if you do, you are an easy target for discouragement to creep in when those little things in your life go wrong. trust in Jesus, your Protector and Keeper. He is your Water when life gets too hot. He is your Shelter when life gets too cold. as our lives and weather constantly change, God's constant love and strength changes us!

psalm 16

1 keep me safe, o God, for in You i take refuge.
2 i said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from You i have no good thing."
3 as for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
4 the sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.
  i will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
5 Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.
6 the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely i have a delightful inheritance.
7 i will praise the Lord, Who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8 i have set the Lord always before me. because He is at my right hand, i will not be shaken.
9 therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
10 because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor  will You let Your Holy One see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of Life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence,
    with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

keeping the guard up,

tamara