“He will spread his wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall.” Psalm 91:4
I was running on time for once as I left the house for evening Bible study. The streets in the neighborhood are dotted with stop signs, but folks largely ignore them, especially on dark evenings like this one; it’s easy to see that no headlights are coming. As I rolled up to the last stop sign, something caught my eye and made me come to a complete stop. As I searched the darkness, suddenly, I realized the tiny glint that had caught my eye was a child, no more than two years old, running as well as toddlers can run down the street, totally alone. In the seconds as my mind was trying to figure out what was going on, a frantic mother exploded out of her front door in search of the child. The closer she got to him, the further down the dark street he toddled. She was frantic, but to him, it was obviously a game. Finally, she safely scooped the child in her arms and waved for me to proceed. I sat there for a few seconds and thanked God for protecting the child and me. On the drive to church, my mind kept replaying the horrible scene that could have happened had God not provided the “little something” that caught my eye and caused me to stop completely. The thoughts made me physically ill, spiritually humbled, and grateful for God’s faithful hand of protection.
1 Kings 18 introduces us to a man who faithfully worshipped the Lord amid great evil. This little passage, denoted only with parenthesis in some versions, can be easily overlooked because it is tucked within the wondrous story of Elijah. “Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria. So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord. Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water)” 1 Kings 18:2-4. Jezebel was King Ahab’s evil wife and was just as evil in her own right. She hated the people who worshipped Yahweh and endeavored to wipe out all avenues of worship and teaching by killing all the prophets of the Lord. But Obadiah took 100 prophets, hid them in two caves, and supplied them with food and water. God used Obadiah to protect His prophets. We don’t have a record of that protection’s impact or trickle-down effect. But one can only imagine the number of souls those prophets touched and how the faith was passed down through the generations. God’s protection always goes hand in hand with His providential plan.
Take some time to sit quietly with the Lord and focus your thoughts on the many times God has protected you and your people. Spend time praising God for His protection and providence over your lives and those you love. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture is of caves in southern Israel, most probably much like the caves where the 100 were hidden.