February 27

“As a child of God you are never alone!  Your Shepherd is with you at all times.  You never have to call him into your situation.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 2/27

God illustrated this to me in yesterday’s happenings.  When I went to my car in the parking garage to get my snow boots before walking over to the court house for the jury duty selection I found myself feeling quite anxious.  My boots weren’t cooperating by going on easily while I was standing on one foot struggling to get my foot in AND maintain my balance.  I had to be there by a certain time and I wasn’t exactly sure where the building was, especially since I always lose my sense of direction in big cities.  Once I finally arrived (after getting lost for awhile) we ended up having to wait for so long that they put a movie on for us to watch--Runaway Bride.  God used this movie to illustrate what had happened to cause my anxiety.  In the movie the bride, who had left her husbands-to-be at the altar three times before, was once again walking up the aisle, but this time she was maintaining eye contact with the awaiting groom--that is, until a flash from a camera caused the groom to blink.  At that point, the bride lost eye contact and bolted, again.  God was showing me I had lost eye contact with Him.  I succumbed to my fears and anxiety overtook me.  Before I even left the comfort of my hotel room I needed to have claimed God’s victory over any fear or threatening situation that might have lain before me so that in the midst of it I need only remind myself that I was not alone.  By waiting until I was in the fearful situation to ask for help I had to deal with the anxiety that was overwhelming me--the anxiety of my own making.  In a sense I was already losing the battle because it was one I had started by not relying on God to begin with.  This self-sufficiency problem we have is so subtle we really must plan on it causing us a problem and subject it to God’s revealing light so that it doesn’t sneak up on us!

“It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8