Originally published on April 30, 2020
God is my protection
Maybe it’s because we didn’t have any grandchildren until after age 60, but we’re totally enamored with ours! We now have 5 grandchildren ages 4 and under, living in 3 states, and we just long to be around them…sort of how God longs to be around us. We babysit our 3-year-old grandson once a week and love taking him places. Watching over and caring for him reminds me so much of the way God watches over and cares for us. If you have children, I think you’ll relate….
Walking through a parking lot is an example; he gets distracted by the simplest things! A rock, birds in the sky, pretty flowers that he picks for me, and the list goes on. It reminds me of how often I get distracted from the thing God wants me to do – not that the distractions are bad (after all, rocks, birds, and flowers are all good things), but they do slow down his opportunities to do things he LOVES, such as play on the playground, get an ice cream cone, etc. – in other words, better things. God has a calling for each of our lives – a ministry He wants us to do, for which we are uniquely gifted and qualified. Read about the Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11. Maybe it’s helping the poor, or working with children, or health care, or helping the elderly, singing on the worship team, or teaching a class. So when we let good things distract us from the best that God has for us, we can relegate ourselves to a having good life but not the best life.
Walking through that parking lot with Mack, I also keep my eyes focused on all the ways he could get hurt: cars coming around the corner, sharp glass, things he could run into. Mack just happily ambles along as he wanders, skips, bends over in the middle of a road to pick up things, etc. My vigilant care keeps him safe as I guide, push, and sometimes even pick him up to carry him. Aren’t we the same way? We get a narrow focus on something WE want to do, or we dilly-dally around, not even realizing that God knows best and is constantly watching out, guiding, and running interference for us. Sometimes Mike pretends to be a monster and chases him around the house, which he loves. He runs to me to hide, and together we pretend Papa can’t find him. Reminds me of the scripture in Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
And then there is God’s provision. I just love to give those grandkids gifts – not just what they need but toys, books, and food they love. It brings me great joy to do this. Just like God loves to provide for us. Luke 12:27-30, says, “consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you – you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it….your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
The more my grandchildren seek my presence, the more I want to be with them, protect them, and do for them. God longs for us to crawl up in His lap and spend time with him – in prayer and in His Word, just being still and listening to him. God’s love is unconditional – he loves us so much more than we can ever love our children or our grandchildren. We are safe, adored, and protected in His presence.
Linda Lanclos
