Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir,
    when you marched out of the field of Edom,
the earth trembled, the sky also dropped.
    Yes, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains quaked at Yahweh’s presence,
    even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
    in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied.
    The travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel.
    They ceased until I, Deborah, arose;
    Until I arose a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods.
    Then war was in the gates.
    Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is toward the governors of Israel,
    who offered themselves willingly among the people.
    Bless Yahweh!“
(Judges 5:4-9)

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills.
    Where does my help come from?
My help comes from Yahweh,
    who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved.
    He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
Yahweh is your keeper.
    Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
Yahweh will keep you from all evil.
    He will keep your soul.
Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in,
    from this time forward, and forever more.”
(Psalm 121)

The Israelites forgot God, but God did not forget the Israelites. When they chose to align themselves with Him, He was faithful to His covenant with them. His might was not diminished. He was not making bad things happen. They were choosing to forget His might. They were choosing to walk away from His protection. When they would not walk perfectly, He was merciful. He raised up prophets. He raised up judges. He raised up deliverers. He was NOT slow. He answered the MOMENT they repented and turned back to Him.

God wasn’t napping. He was watching. Waiting. With eager expectation He sent warnings. He pointed out to them what they needed to do. He has always given us time to repent. He’s always made the opportunity. He doesn’t let us get out into the weeds before saying something. He says something BEFORE we stray. He warns us BEFORE we turn. He NEVER stops speaking because He is ALWAYS there. NEVER sleeping. NEVER ignoring. Merciful and gracious and good.

Summary

The eyes of God do not close on us. He watches us ALL the time. Not just when we are active. We are watched while we sleep. While we play. While we work. While we rest. While we do anything and everything. God is ALWAYS there. His protection is ALWAYS in place. It is our attitude toward Him that determines where we are standing. Under the permanent and immovable protection of the Most High God, or out in the weeds at the mercy of the environment around us. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is GOOD. If we will respond to that in our hearts and turn to Him in all things, there will be NOTHING and NO MOMENT where we are not covered, protected, and watched out for.