2 Chronicles 20:12, NIV: O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.
When I was a young girl growing into adulthood, I stood up to meet every threat and challenge that surfaced. As I matured, however, I found that a great deal of my energy and thoughts were being used to figure out how to win and how not to be taken advantage of. Somehow that didn't seem like divine life or God's best for me.
Then I discovered in the Bible that God had a plan for my life. It was a plan for good and not for evil. I learned that He was committed to protecting and providing for me. Gradually, I began to release my life totally into God's care and keeping.
What a comfort it is for me today to know that while I may not be able on my own to stop the enemy from attacking, I can control where I focus my attention and where I place my affection. When I focus my eyes on the Lord instead of on the attacks, God always causes things to work together for my good.
Learning about the relationship between the sheep and their shepherd also helped me place myself into the hand of God. You see, when sheep are grazing and they hear the sound of a predator approaching, they neither run nor fight. Instead, they look to see where their shepherd is. Once they locate him, they resume their grazing; for sheep understand it is the shepherd's responsibility to protect them.
How much more is the Holy Spirit responsible for you as one of His sheep? You have no reason to be afraid of any real or threatened danger. Always remember that the key to your victory is not in fighting or fleeing every battle, but in keeping your eyes on Jesus at all times. And you can be assured, that just as His eyes behold even the tiniest sparrow when it falls to the ground, His eyes are fastened upon you because He knows and cares for His own.
When I was a young girl growing into adulthood, I stood up to meet every threat and challenge that surfaced. As I matured, however, I found that a great deal of my energy and thoughts were being used to figure out how to win and how not to be taken advantage of. Somehow that didn't seem like divine life or God's best for me.
Then I discovered in the Bible that God had a plan for my life. It was a plan for good and not for evil. I learned that He was committed to protecting and providing for me. Gradually, I began to release my life totally into God's care and keeping.
What a comfort it is for me today to know that while I may not be able on my own to stop the enemy from attacking, I can control where I focus my attention and where I place my affection. When I focus my eyes on the Lord instead of on the attacks, God always causes things to work together for my good.
Learning about the relationship between the sheep and their shepherd also helped me place myself into the hand of God. You see, when sheep are grazing and they hear the sound of a predator approaching, they neither run nor fight. Instead, they look to see where their shepherd is. Once they locate him, they resume their grazing; for sheep understand it is the shepherd's responsibility to protect them.
How much more is the Holy Spirit responsible for you as one of His sheep? You have no reason to be afraid of any real or threatened danger. Always remember that the key to your victory is not in fighting or fleeing every battle, but in keeping your eyes on Jesus at all times. And you can be assured, that just as His eyes behold even the tiniest sparrow when it falls to the ground, His eyes are fastened upon you because He knows and cares for His own.
