Needing security in a scary world - 2 Thessalonians 3:3 with a story, an observation and a prayer

SCRIPTURE: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

A STORY:
A Modern Day Parable titled, “Frog in the well.”
He knew his world which consisted of one circler wall. All that he knew of the real world was what he was able to see through the small circle of the opening of the well – a little blue sky, a passing cloud, but little else. It wasn’t until the frog jumped out of the well (and its security) did he see the world in full and all the beauty.

AN OBSERVATION:
This old world of ours is a little scary. Alright, it is big time scary for a lot of folk what with job lose, unstable stock market, the debt crisis both here and abroad, and two political parties who would rather fight each other than the mountain of problems facing our nation. It is big time, shake-in-your-boots, even wet-your-pants and batten-down-the-hatches scary.

But … who’s our daddy? Who is it that will provide the ultimate protection?

With the affirmation from scripture that the Lord is our protector, we then can turn out to face the world, and with the confidence of his strength and protection begin to risk once again. Risk getting out of our little wells of security; risk getting into relationships with people much different than we; risk trust our resources to see us through yet another day; risk … with a certain Holy Boldness … to step forward and face others (and our life’s situations) with the confidence of our faith knowing that there is nothing, absolutely nothing that can or will defeat us.

PRAYER:
For your presence, we give you thanks. For your protection, we give you thanks. For the security that you and you alone provide, we give you thanks. For being there when things “go south” we are left with the feeling that we have nothing left, we give you thanks. In the name of Jesus our redeemer, friend and fellow traveler, we give you thanks. Amen.