PSALMS OF ASCENT! PSALM 121:7-8

Malcolm Cox, email: malcolm.cox@iccmissions.org | ICC Missions on facebook | www.nwlcc.org

ALL HARMT h e p r o t e c t i o n G o d

provides is set out here as a comprehensive list. He covers all harm in our whole life from beginning to end, all journeys & situations, on this earth and beyond.

The phrase ‘your life’ is included so that we remember God is interested in everything to do with our lives. It is not jus t at church or doing ‘spiritual’ activities that we are connected to God’s protection. We are granted his care in our parenting, in our marriage, at work and everywhere we go. God is interested and available to be with us and help us in every area of our lives.

Friends of mine living a d a n g e r o u s e x i s t e n c e i n Afghanistan are able to bear the strain because it is not the final destination. It is a stop along the way - or rather it is part of the way - under the protection of God. But what kind of protection is implied here? Does it mean no bad fortune of any kind will happen to a Christian?

WELL ARMEDHebrews and Christians

have always read the promise of Psalm 121 as not that we shall never catch a cold, but that no accident, no sickness, no sadness, no misfortune will have evil power over us. If you are a Christian you can be convinced that nothing will be able to separate you from God’s purposes in you.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35–39 NIV)

When we are in desperate straits God provides the way out and the strength we need.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

Such strength from God means that when evil threatens us we will find ourselves well-armed. “Even though I walk through

the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ (Psalms 23:4 NIV)

WATERTIGHTAll the water in the oceans

cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside it. The same is true of evil - and God is the one who keeps us “watertight”.

The Christian life is not ‘safe’ in one sense, but it is totally safe in another, because we know He who is taking us to be with Him forever.

Our Guardian is with us both now, today, tomorrow, this week, the rest of our lives, and forevermore.

“Coming and Going”“THE LORD WILL KEEP YOU FROM ALL HARM—HE WILL WATCH OVER YOUR LIFE; THE LORD WILL WATCH OVER YOUR COMING

AND GOING BOTH NOW AND FOREVERMORE.” (PSALMS 121:7–8 NIV)