Sunday, July 10, 2011

Where do you seek protection?

“So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:6-8

Daily each of us are surrounded by the protection of the Lord.  And so often we take that very protection for granted. It is the sin of the world that comes in and invades us from feeling protected. We begin to focus on the things we need or want to do or “have to have” to feel protected, instead of turning to the very one who is protection. 

It is not just in the safety of our lives, but the protection of the little things we overlook. Yes the Lord provides material things for protection, but it is the three things he layers us with that are the strongest types of protection we could ever receive. These layers of protection can not be earned-they are given by the Lord!

Imagine with me your body and Jesus standing over you.  As we give our hearts to Him, He lifts up His hands and pours the first and most protective item over us that can never be removed-His blood. As He begins to pour it, it is like a warm blanket that covers every inch of our body inside and out. He leaves no inch uncovered. It is that blood that protects us from death, and hell. It is the blood that has lifetime coverage.  Nothing Satan or the world does can remove the blood of protection.

After He spreads His blood, He comes in and puts the second layer of protection over us-Mercy! It is by His blood that we have received mercy for the forgiveness of our sins. This layer of protection falls over and covers us daily (Lamentations 3:22). As it covers us, it too covers every inch, and provides a protection filled with compassion.

He then comes in and pours the final layer of protection over us. It is this very layer that His Father gave us through His Son, Jesus. Just as Paul says in our verse above that it is the kindness God poured out on us which is our third layer-Grace. Grace is the unearned favor on all sinful humanity. It is the layer of protection that brought the blood, and mercy that gave us freedom. 

Each layer is unearned, was bought at a valuable price, and given by God and God alone. With out Jesus there is no protection-with out protection there is death and hell waiting to swallow us up.

Have you been layered in the protection of the blood, mercy and grace?

Prayer: God we praise You for the wonderful kindness of protection You have poured out over us.  May we not take any layer for granted! Amen