Surrounded by GodSample

Surrounded by God

When we think about the glorious truth that God, our heavenly Father, surrounds us, we can't help but breathe a sigh of relief because of His merciful presence and divine care for us. Why can we be so sure He surrounds us? Because He said so and He promised it! King David understood and believed this truth. "But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." Psalm 3:3 (NIV)

The psalmist's words in Psalm 34 are interesting.It starts by saying: "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." Psalm 34:1 (NIV) Then he explains the reason for his worship by mentioning what God does for him. I invite you to read it so you can delight in the things David knew God did for him—things He does for us, too.

But, for the purpose of this reflection, I want to highlight the following verse: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Psalm 34:7 (NIV). I try to form a mental picture of this promise, and no matter how hard I try, I can't fully grasp it. Nevertheless, it's enough for me to know that in some miraculous and divine way, I am surrounded by the angel of the Lord, who defends and protects me. This is true not only for me but for all who fear His name.

It's a spiritual truth that is real for every believer, but we can only enjoy it when we're aware that He is our shield. Knowing that God surrounds us makes us feel brave. This is what happened to young David when he faced the giant Goliath. Because of his faith, he could say, “David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'” 1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV). From an early age, David knew God was with him.

It was the same David who wrote the beautiful Psalm 139, where he talks about God's constant presence in his life. In verses 5 and 6, he says: "You hem me in—behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." Psalm 139:5-6 (NIV)

We don't always have this awareness because what our eyes see is what's right in front of us, with better or worse clarity depending on the condition of our sight. I think the best biblical example we have of this reality is with Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha. The Arameans had surrounded them, and that's all he could see—that was his reality. But Elisha knew, and seeing his fear, he offered the following prayer:

"And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 Kings 6:17 (NIV)

Let's ask the Lord to open our spiritual eyes so we can see Him in the midst of all our circumstances. He is always with us.