Psalm 91 ~ His Faithfulness is a Shield and Buckler +

One family member ate a Christmas ornament - make that two family members ate Christmas ornaments. Practice Christmas safety.

The second one was me, before I was two years old - I ate a glass Christmas ornament off of the tree in France. Due to language barriers, the French doctor induced vomiting immediately, he then returned me and had found an interpreter. With all Ipecac accomplished, the interpreter was pretty horrified. With the deed done, my father and the doctor agreed to talk the next day if necessary. Fortunately, not anything happened.

When the other person in our family ate a silver colored ornament, we sat in the waiting room for hours and hours and hours and I began to beg to know why the non-talking toddler did this. As boredom persisted, I cried and he reached in to his mouth and showed me the ornament he had been chewing on, but never swallowed. Immediately, we returned home.

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place-- the Most High, who is my refuge-- 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 

14 "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

We become so familiar with The Christmas Story, we do well to remind ourselves to see how many Miracles God was doing. Our Father God is Perfectly Able.

Let's be Blessings Finders. Only God could do all of this:

A Virgin. A Father, who was poor, engaged his daughter to the Son of David line. She tells her father an Angel has visited. Mary is allowed to leave with haste to visit family.

1. Mary has escaped being stoned to death by her father. Honor allows this. This is not all that unusual.

2. Her cousin is 6 months pregnant and has the same Angel story. God has given Mary credibility. This sounds improbable and yet stands to the Sanhedrin Council. How Credible - the father is a Rabbi. This occurred in the Temple itself. Really? The Rabbi couple are past the child bearing years.

3. What do Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, think of Mary's story? They are having her into their home.

4. Joseph is the Son of Kings of Israel - is he going to stone his betrothed? He has considered this. And has decided to divorce her instead. Mary has been shown mercy.

5. The Angel returns to Joseph in a dream. Miracle.

6. Joseph has decided the dream is a Gift of God and will act upon this. Free Will is working with Mercy. In an ego and heart wrenching time.

7. Joseph decides to take Mary on an 80 mile trip for tax purposes. Her family does not offer to decline the journey of the betrothed couple.

8. Jesus is born not on the side of the road.

9. A barn is not germ free. Mother and child survive.

10. Shepherds visit with miraculous tidings. Having been with animals. Childbirth is far from safe.

11. Mary and Joseph present their son to the Temple. In an age where tribes are known and also your father is known as your last name - Mary and Joseph have wonderful greetings for an unwed (as yet) pregnancy involving Angels.

12. The Marriage takes place. (The Marriage thrives. Other children arrive.) Considering all the difficulty - this is a miracle.

13. The family travels. An unsafe thing to do. For water and food problems. Because of Burglary. To non-kosher Egypt. This would involve sea travel. Germs on ships are notorious. Taking an infant to an area His Mother would not have built antibodies for.

14. They travel back to Judea.

15. They overcome Herod's idea to kill Jesus. From Soothsaying by astronomy. And they survive Herod's Successor.



God has taken them Past 15 or more perilous events.

Is this story in doubt?

1. Not according to The Bible.

2. Several Eyewitness Accounts of the Gospels.

3. According to Isaiah. Prophetically. Even with Nations shall come to the arrival of God's Light, explaining the Magi.

4. The accepted truths of James and Jude - Brothers of Jesus. The Gospel of John who lived with Jesus' Mother, Mary. The two verses in the Gospels explaining that all of Nazareth knew the family of Mary and Joseph.

5. Complete with the commentary of the Historically available Sanhedrin Council discussing the unusual events. Rudely.

6. The Histories written by Josephus of Judea and of 5 Roman Emperors.

7. The Shape of the History of the Roman Empire concerning Jesus Christ.

8. The written Histories of the Disciples and their Disciples. Mark and Polycarp and Timothy. Luke.

9. Countless Changed lives.

Your cares and prayers are well within God's abilities and His Heart. With so many ways His Plan could have been deviated or not accomplished - we see Father God has a plan.

What is the Shield and Buckler?
We know in life, when we face hard crossroads of death, stoning, robbers, familial severe stress, medical death, intense pain of travelling at pregnant week 40, the sadness of a family letting a betrothed woman to travel like this. The need for a hasty departure. We know this causes intense stress and worry.

The Shield and Buckler is evident, the Bible does not tell of the emotional toil. Many times we find crying and despair and intense prayer. This simply isn't recorded. Unto them a Child was Given. Wonderful. During a time of Labor - near death - this is forgotten in the Joy of a Child. God is our Shield and Buckler. Through generations, in all seasons, God gives us strong help in our life.

God Himself tells us our prayers are important to Him. God is our Shield and Buckler. Like the arms of Moses, God is our Help and Comfort.

Let us vacation from our cares and troubles, allowing A Child To Be Given To Us. God Himself, Our Father in Jesus is our Shield and Buckler.


Abba,

This is well-known set of events. And it was perilous. Completely unlikely for fathers and princes to arrive at Jesus by free will. And yet this is a prayer going around the world every day, for Your help.

And for prayers needed of shaky faith improbability, we all have. Knowing how well You make all Things Possible. 

We are Grateful for Your Shield and Your Buckler, Father God.

We ask Your willing blessings. For ourselves and the ones we love.

When You stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the Name of Your Holy Son, Jesus.

Because of Jesus Christ, we will see Mountains move. And the Impossible will happen. You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

We reach out to touch Jesus - to touch His Heart by asking You in the Name of Jesus, we ask More Heaven upon earth.

For all of our Cares - we Lift to Jesus.

For all of our Loved ones - we Lift to Jesus.

For all of our Nation trusting in You - we Lift to Jesus.

For the Nations around the world looking to Jesus - we ask Your Blessing of Heaven on earth.

Saying thank You for hearing the prayers of Your Beloved world round.

Blessings of Christmas. In Jesus, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †