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“No man will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.” Deuteronomy 11:25

I guess we all have at times dealt with a bully in life. Maybe it wasn’t on the playground at school, but it may have been some major obstacle in life that has repeatedly backed you into a corner. Can I get a witness? The why and what of bullies really lies in whom (or what) we place our trust. In our final installment of discussing this passage of scripture in Deuteronomy that highlights the blessings of obedience, Israel was told that in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham that they would be granted protection in this new land. Why is it that they (and we) don’t realize the protection that the promises of God provide for us? Why is it that we feel unprotected during our trials? Well today I hope I can provide some insight into that for our walk with Christ, and that we will be strengthened and encouraged going forward.

I particularly remember an instance while my dad was in the Army that we were stationed in Bad Kissingen (West Germany). While there, I attended a school that was on a military installation. I believe I was in the 2nd or 3grade. Whatever year that was, I was given a brand-new 10-speed bicycle for my birthday. I was so excited. I went to the park where everyone hung out and I started showing it off like any normal little kid. Well a bigger kid (2 or 3 years older maybe) saw me with it and asked if he could ride. Well of course I was strictly forbidden from letting anyone else ride per my dad’s instructions. “I don’t want anyone else on that bike, you hear me”, he had said. “Yessir”, I replied only to later give into this bigger kid who I slightly knew from playing at the park and seeing at school. Well he gave me a proposition that I thought was interesting. He said that if I let him ride the bike, that he would be my bodyguard and that anyone that messed with me, he would deal with them. Well I knew the concept of a bodyguard and even at that age is seemed appealing to me. I had run-ins with other kids some of which I could handle and others that I couldn’t so this was a good trade I thought. Well, time passed after this trade and I didn’t need to use this bartering credit until one day while walking home from school, I was caught up in a case of mistaken identity. The accuser was much bigger than me and since there was no way that I saw out of this dilemma I started to panic. After the 2nd or 3shove into my back, I was determined to at least turn around and give him my best right hook and then take off running, even if it meant I would soon be defeated. When all of a sudden out of nowhere came my bodyguard. He had made good on his promise! He jumped right in between me and the problem and commenced to “solving” it. It was a great feeling. I was so relieved from the pressure of defeat and the ensuing shame that would follow. Well all that to say, God’s protection for his children is so much better than that my friend. He not only loves us beyond our wildest dreams, but he also is a protector to us. “No man will be able to stand against you…” is how Deuteronomy puts it. Israel being a smaller and weaker nation on paper, than the ones they were going to overtake obviously experienced the mental frustration that we all do when faced with a daunting task. But who should our trust be in—ourselves and our ability or God? The answer is obvious. The writer of Psalms puts it this way:

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us,

O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:18-22)

God’s protection is there for his children. He just wants us to believe in his promises to us. Our trust and hope must be in him to enjoy what he has promised though. Just as I faced my run-in with my bully and was able to walk away knowing that everything would be handled. God wants us to walk away knowing that his loving, protecting arms will handle every trial and problem that we face. He is faithful to his promise, will you trust him?

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

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