Fort Providence

GOD’S LOVING COMMANDS PROTECT US LIKE THE WALLS OF A FORT.

Bible Reading of the Day: Read Psalm 31:19-21.

Verse of the Day: “Blessed is the Lord, for he has shown me that his never-failing love protects me like the walls of a fort!” (Psalm 31:21, TLB).

Kevin lay on his stomach in the sand. He kicked his feet and stared contentedly at the sand castle he and his dad had just completed. They had formed large towers at each corner with the help of Kevin’s sand pail. The towers were joined by four solid walls. The castle keep sported a soda-straw flagpole with a candy-wrapper flag. “It’s neat,” Kevin said.

“Yeah,” Dad said. He seemed almost as pleased as his son.

“How long will it take the ocean to wash it away?” Kevin asked.

Dad turned his head to check the approaching tide. “It won’t reach our castle until after we leave to go home.”

“Good.” Kevin reached out his hand to straighten the flagpole. Suddenly his eyes brightened, and he smiled at his dad. “Wouldn’t it be neat if we had castle walls around our house?”

Dad opened his mouth to answer, but Kevin kept talking.

“We could have a bridge that we would let down only if we knew it was safe, and nobody could get in unless they knew the secret password!”

Dad nodded, smiling. He leaned on his elbow in the sand. “You know, Kev,” he said, “we sorta do have castle walls around our house.”

Kevin sucked his bottom lip under his teeth, an expression he often wore when he was thinking.

Dad continued. “Our home is protected by God’s commandments,” he said. Kevin blinked uncertainly.

Dad rolled over onto his back and pulled Kevin onto his chest. “See, Kev, God loves us. And he gave his commands to us for our own good, just like Mommy and Daddy tell you to eat all your vegetables or not to play in the street because we love you and want to take good care of you. God’s commands are like a wall of protection around us, just like the walls of a fort or a castle. That’s one of the reasons God gave his commandments—to protect us from a lot of bad things.”

“I still wish we lived in a castle,” Kevin said.

Dad nodded. “Yeah, then I could throw you in the dungeon when you don’t eat your vegetables!”

“I’d throw you in the dungeon!” Kevin countered as he and his father rolled over in the sand, laughing and trading threats of imprisonment.

TO DISCUSS: Do the walls of a castle or fort protect those who decide to stay outside the walls? Whom do they protect? How can you stay inside the walls of God’s protection?

TO PRAY: “God, thank you for the protection of your commands.”