A hedge of protection

“Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?” Job 3:23

A hedge of protection means a boundary has been established to shield us from harm, to encapsulate us from danger. Although this is not quoted verbatim in the Bible, in Job 1:10, Satan is saying the only reason Job remains faithful to God is because he has been protected by a hedge, therefore his life is blessed.

The dogs wake me up about the same time every morning and then we go through our daily rituals. I could probably go through the entire routine blind folded. Sometimes when I turn on my computer I get notices that updates have occurred and invasions have been avoided. Even while my computer is sleeping, the software is protecting what is mine.

Doesn’t God do the same for us? I know He has protected me from imminent danger more than once. I remember one time while I was driving I chose to accelerate to pass this slow car but I had to get back over in the right lane in time to make the turn at the next light. (I know, not the greatest idea). Anyway, just as I got beside the car, debris from a truck fell on the road right in my path and by the grace of God, I maneuvered the car into the right lane just in time and avoided a crash. I felt like I was living the lyrics of the Carrie Underwood song, “Jesus take the wheel” because God was in control.

There are countless scriptures that encourage us that God really does protect us. He hides us in the cleft of his bosom and shields us from harm. I love Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” He surrounds us and gives us security in knowing he is with us.

Just as a mother bird will shield her young under her wings, God has given us the Holy Spirit to shield us. In Ephesians 6:13, we are called to put on our “full armor of God'' to defend ourselves against the evil forces of this world. This requires us to take action and to make a conscious choice to protect ourselves. We have to deliberately make a choice to follow Christ so we can stand our ground.

The same way our antivirus software protects our computers from being contaminated, God is shielding us against the forces of evil. Ephesians 6:16 says, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” This is a promise that we can stand on because we have a hedge of protection around us. God strengthens us to fight the spiritual battles that are before us, both seen and unseen when we stay in his word and go to Him in prayer.