Here’s a video link: https://youtu.be/rFRUkk_Vok0
or just keep on reading the blog below:
I was thinking about the pairing of a couple of strange things that I hope will bring you some encouragement today. They are essentially props: slippers and umbrellas. I was thinking about how they relate to Psalm 121.
I want to talk about the umbrella first because I’m thinking fondly about a vacation I had recently, it was in Florida. We traveled to Marco Island, Florida to meet friends of ours.
I remember vividly, it was a big day at the beach. I love the coolness of the ocean and I love the sound of the waves. I love sitting in the sand because I like digging my heels in it as I exfoliate my feet and particularly my heels. I loved the smell of putting sunscreen on and eating while I’m there too!
I eat the whole time! I just pull out the cooler and eat, eat, eat, eat, eat . All the while I try to make sure that the seagulls don’t get any of what I intend to munch on.
The point is. I love to go to the beach! I just sit down and relax and watch all the people walk on the beach and do whatever.
It’s a big event! Getting the sunscreen, gathering the towels, finding my sun hat collecting the right chairs and getting them all loaded.
One day, we rode our bicycles and we put the sun chairs with the backpack type straps on our backs and we rode our bicycles to the beach. It was so much fun but my husband had to have his umbrella along because he reaches a point where he just doesn’t even want anymore sun! Sometimes he’ll go and be sitting under the umbrella the entire time. So he doesn’t get any of the sun that we’re all craving! But the funny thing is, I realized, a little bit into this day, that I kind of wanted to get under that umbrella with him.
I wanted to get underneath the umbrella because I was getting a little too hot and I was feeling a little too crispy and even though I had sunscreen, hat and the whole deal, I was very thankful for the shade of his umbrella.
Okay, so what does an umbrella have to do with slippers? Well, I got slippers from my sister for Christmas. They’re kelly green and cute with these little dangling pom-poms on them. But the important part is the underneath side.
You need to understand, I have lots of stairs in my house! And if you slip, you do NOT want to slip down the steps because every single step would really kill your tailbone. What was important to me is that the slippers have the gripper things down at the bottom! I do NOT want to slip! I don’t want to slip! It makes you feel very uneasy, it makes you feel very vulnerable you know that you could get hurt and harm yourself and for days you’d be paying for it.
So the umbrella and the slippers both related in my mind to a Psalm I love, 121. I have been camping on this passage. I have been thinking about it as we enter back into more of “real life.”
I’ve been thinking about how it’s an anchor for my life. That God is my keeper. I even did a different video on the fact that he’s our keeper but I just want you to pay attention to the umbrella and the slippers as you read Psalm 121. Think of the ways that God is your umbrella and the ways that God is like your slippers. It may seem trivial but He is so good! And really is caring for us.
“I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.”
Psalms121:1-8HCSBI
I wrote before about God being our keeper, that He keeps us from all harm. These videos were about him being our keeper that he keeps us from all harm and keeps us even when we don’t know we’re being kept but he keeps particularly when you were following him and even when you’re rebellious or you decide, I’m gonna go my own way! he will keep your foot from slipping because he loves you so much and he has a better plan for you than you have for yourself. He keeps you from slipping and falling down the stairs and the repercussions of “hitting every step on the way down” metaphorically speaking!
Let me pray over you right now. That you would know God is the shade at your right hand, the sun is not gonna harm you by day nor the moon by night. What that means is that God‘s got your daytime covered and he’s got your nighttime covered. There isn’t a shift where God punches out! He’s never away. He’s never distant. He’s right near.
In fact Scripture tells us we can draw near to God and He will draw near to us, that’s a promise. He is near.
Father, I thank you that you are the grippers for slippers that you will not allow our foot to slip and you are the umbrella, the shade at our right hand we don’t have to worry about being struck by the sun in the day or the moon by night because you’re with us constantly 24/7.
I release peace over whoever is reading right now, that you are kept by God. He’s not only your keeper but he is your umbrella and slippers and he watches over you. So be at peace. Be at rest, in the name of Jesus, amen! Amen! So go in peace today. I hope that encourages you; have a great day!
rachel inouye 