As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore. (Verse 2)
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them. Psalm 34:7
I had a dream the other night about my son, Will. He was small again, maybe three or so, and I couldn't seem to find him though I could hear his desperate cries for help. It was clear Will needed rescuing. Horrified, I ran like a crazy woman toward his voice. All I could think of was getting to my son, determined to ease his terror. Then I saw Will's little red face, tears streaming into his open mouth, "Mommy! Mommy!" he cried. He was behind a fence being held against his will by faceless people who tried to drag him away from his death grip on one of the fence railings.
"Will!" I screamed.
"Mommy!" he screamed back as he held on to the fence for his life.
I careened into the fence and grabbed my son by his torso, pulling with everything in me against the grip of his captors. As I put my arms through the rail and fully around Will, his body gave and catapulted through the fence on top of me as we fell to the ground. Without a second to spare, I grabbed my son up, held him tightly in my arms and ran. Ran so fast my heart was beating out of my chest when I awoke to discover we were safe. It was only a dream. The rescue only necessary in another world.
But it dawns on me this morning that this is the very thing this verse means to me. The mountains that surround Jerusalem are higher than the hills on which it rests. If you stand in the midst of the city and look to the panoramic horizon, the landscape of mountains resembles a walled fortress. Incoming missiles from the evil one have to go over the wall. Battalions must scale it. Horses must surmount it. Just like the mountains protect the city, my God protects me. The enemy must go through Him to get at me. I am in His encompassing arms. Cradled against His chest. Rescued from danger after danger.
The picture of baby Will in trouble. Of my heart and feet racing to any place where I could run to hold him in my arms. That is the picture of my Father when I call to Him in my need. Whether I'm all messed up because I screwed up or whether I've been unfairly trapped by the evil one, it's all the same to my Father. My open bawling mouth is filling with my own tears and I need saving! "Abba! Abba!" I cry. And the sound of His footfall shakes heaven as He barrels to my rescue, surrounds me in His embrace and rushes me out of danger. From this time forth and forevermore.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them. Psalm 34:7
I had a dream the other night about my son, Will. He was small again, maybe three or so, and I couldn't seem to find him though I could hear his desperate cries for help. It was clear Will needed rescuing. Horrified, I ran like a crazy woman toward his voice. All I could think of was getting to my son, determined to ease his terror. Then I saw Will's little red face, tears streaming into his open mouth, "Mommy! Mommy!" he cried. He was behind a fence being held against his will by faceless people who tried to drag him away from his death grip on one of the fence railings.
"Will!" I screamed.
"Mommy!" he screamed back as he held on to the fence for his life.
I careened into the fence and grabbed my son by his torso, pulling with everything in me against the grip of his captors. As I put my arms through the rail and fully around Will, his body gave and catapulted through the fence on top of me as we fell to the ground. Without a second to spare, I grabbed my son up, held him tightly in my arms and ran. Ran so fast my heart was beating out of my chest when I awoke to discover we were safe. It was only a dream. The rescue only necessary in another world.
But it dawns on me this morning that this is the very thing this verse means to me. The mountains that surround Jerusalem are higher than the hills on which it rests. If you stand in the midst of the city and look to the panoramic horizon, the landscape of mountains resembles a walled fortress. Incoming missiles from the evil one have to go over the wall. Battalions must scale it. Horses must surmount it. Just like the mountains protect the city, my God protects me. The enemy must go through Him to get at me. I am in His encompassing arms. Cradled against His chest. Rescued from danger after danger.
The picture of baby Will in trouble. Of my heart and feet racing to any place where I could run to hold him in my arms. That is the picture of my Father when I call to Him in my need. Whether I'm all messed up because I screwed up or whether I've been unfairly trapped by the evil one, it's all the same to my Father. My open bawling mouth is filling with my own tears and I need saving! "Abba! Abba!" I cry. And the sound of His footfall shakes heaven as He barrels to my rescue, surrounds me in His embrace and rushes me out of danger. From this time forth and forevermore.
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