God Guards the City
Unless the Lord builds a house, They who build it labor in vain; Unless the Lord guards a city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1 NASB
Terrorist bombs rocked the city of Mumbai when we lived in India. Security tightened in every city, including ours. We collectively held our breath for further attacks.
I wondered if I should send my teenage daughters across town to school. Are the roads safe? Could our young driver remain calm through all the check points? How would I get to my children in case of emergency?
As I prayed for wisdom, God reminded me that unless He guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. I was foolish to think that I was keeping my children safe. That is not within my power. God is the One who keeps them safe. He is the One who guards my “city.” God is the One who builds my “house.”
With God’s assurance of care, I felt bulletproof. I decided to send the girls to school, but ride along with them. It was slow going though. Traffic and tensions tangled like a ball of yarn. God’s peace kept my heart calm through it all.
Guards at every gate inspected every vehicle. Yes, even at our school. As the fresh-faced guard rolled the under-vehicle surveillance mirror beneath our car, I wondered, does he even know what he is looking for? It seemed like a farcical waste of time.
Again, I thought, Unless God guards this school, these watchmen inspect in vain. The best protection for this school and my children is the Lord Himself.
Once again, I prayed God’s hedge of protection around the school. Once more I committed my children into His capable hands.
This is a lesson I would learn time and again through the years. We traveled with our beautiful daughters to countries that the State Department labeled “High Risk Areas.” I prayed. My teenagers occasionally placed themselves in unsafe situations. Again, I prayed. Yes, I had plenty of practice learning to trust God as the watchman on the wall.
Today my girls are grown and make their own safety choices. I don’t worry though. I pray for them daily, and I trust God to build my house.
How are you doing in this department? Are you having trouble trusting God? My advice is to spend some time alone in His presence. Hear His heartbeat for you and your family. It is easier to trust when you feel God’s unfathomable love.