“LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” (Psalm 28:7 NIV)

Frank, my gelding, was feeling frisky.  And when he feels frisky, he looks around for someone to chase.  Today he chose my one year old collie Kayley.  Kayley is very fast and once she saw that Frank was headed her way she made a bee line to keep out in front of him.  As he tore after her with a vengeance, Kayley kept looking over her shoulder to see how quickly he was gaining.  Falling under a racing horses’ hooves is no picnic and she knew it.  She also began to bark frantically as she ran and someone heard, for as she rounded the corner of the compost boxes there stood my other collie, Bonnie, ready to stand with Kayley against Frank.  As soon as Kayley saw Bonnie, she spun around to face Frank, head on, along with her sister.  As Frank rounded the corner mere seconds later, and saw both collies taking a stand against him, he slid to a halt and then turned and trotted off.  In turn, Kayley and Bonnie leapt around barking as one in their triumph.

Frank has never hurt any of the dogs, and to him this chasing is simply a game.  But it is not always one that the dogs enjoy. 

There is one in this world, in which we live, that has a similar game he likes to play.  And that is Satan, the ruler of this world.  He loves to get God’s people on the run, in fear.  He loves to plant thoughts within our minds through various ways and means that frightened us and drive us to anxiety and distraction.  But, much like Kayley, we too always have One who hears when we call out amidst our fears and anxieties:  God, our Lord, who is our strength and shield, the One in whom our hearts must learn to trust more and more, for He is able to help us in every and any situation.  And when he does our hearts leap for joy and with a song of praise to Him and His goodness.

Who or what situation has you on the run today?  Financial worries, family distractions, health issues, spiritual struggles?  Whatever the case, remember to cry out to the Lord, for He desires to rescue us in our times of need that we might see His greatness and glorify His name.

“For He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)

Prayer:  Father God thank You that You are the One, who is always listening and ready to come to our aid when we cry to You for help.  And with Your help, we are strengthened and able to face our enemies head on and claim the victory in Christ our Lord.  In whose name we pray.  Amen.

Lynne Phipps