Wednesday, March 25, 2009

God's Protection, Affection & Direction

Woops! Looks like St. Philip's is skipping along 2 chapters at a time now, and so I missed chapter two yesterday, and have chapters 3 and 4 of Zechariah today!! I'll post them one chapter at a time, and see how far we get! So, put on your running shoes and reading glasses!

God's Protection of His People

Now Zechariah sees a man with a measuring line. He is about to survey the city of Jerusalem. But Zack's angel guide sends another angel to hurry after this man with good news. 

God promises to bring so many people to Jerusalem that the crowds will overflow the walls of the city - but that won’t matter because God will be their protection, not walls. God Himself will "be a wall of fire around it", and "I will be its glory within."  

The phrase “apple of His eye” was used to describe something precious, easily injured and demanding protection. Spurgeon puts it this way:
“He esteems [us] as much as men value their eyesight, and is as careful to protect [us] from injury, as men are to protect the apple of their eye. The pupil of the eye is the tenderest part of the tenderest organ, and very fitly sets forth the inexpressible tenderness of God’s love.”
Not only will He protect us, but He will be among us in a unique and powerful way.

FYI: This is the only place where the phrase Holy Land is used in the Bible. The land is holy because it is separated unto God in a unique way. In the same exact way, we can be holy, set apart for God to use exactly as He sees fit!

Lord, let us see what it would look like to overflow the walls of St. Philip's, and to be assured of Your protection, affection and direction. May we have the same exuberance and fortitude as this man with the measuring stick seems to have. I pray Lord that you will make the Harrington family the apple of Your eye and bring them into Your Holy Land, as it were. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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