“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Psalm 46:1, 2 (NIV)
Who would have thought that a canner full of green beans could teach a lesson on trusting God for protection? Not me . . . unless the canner was accompanied by a large explosion. Let me explain.
One of my favorite activities in July is canning vegetables from my garden. My rationale for canning is simple: instant gratification and great taste. Pulling the jars out of my canner gives me immediate results for the hard garden work and I love cooking with a jar of green beans or tomato sauce in the winter. This particular summer I was unprepared for the bonus I received.
Everything was laid out for canning: freshly washed green beans, salt, clean jars and rings, new lids, tongs to pull jars out of the boiling water, hot pads, and mitts. My routine was the same as it had been for years: fill the jars, add water, salt, lids and rings, tighten, and put in the canner. Nothing unusual about that. After I filled the canner with jars, I tightened its lid, set it on the stove, and watched the gauge on top as it climbed to 10 pounds of pressure. I set the timer, knowing that in 20 minutes, I would have jars of green beans completed and ready to store.
I walked into the living room, and laid down on the carpet to play with 9-month-old Ella when 20 seconds later, an explosion with the force of a land mine shook my entire house! I scooped Ella into my arms, ran to the kitchen door, and peeked around to see exactly what had happened. I was stunned! My canner had exploded, propelling glass shards from the broken jars and green beans throughout the kitchen, covering everything in their path. The force of the explosion had blasted the canner lid upward into the ceiling and carved a three-foot hole before coming back down and digging a two-inch deep scar in the side of my refrigerator. On its ascent, the lid had destroyed the stove and the vent above it. On the way down it ruined the microwave. And, the scalding water from the canner had left a six-foot pattern across the ceiling.
Calls to family members and the insurance agency brought them to my home immediately along with reassurance that everything would be okay. Friends swept up glass and green beans. The insurance agent kept repeating that everything would be taken care of but that in all his 30+ years of being in insurance, he had never seen an explosion like this one. His “It was probably a defective gauge. If you had been in the kitchen, you would have been killed.” comments did nothing to settle my nerves.
That evening as I prepared to go to bed, I knelt and whispered “Father, thank you so much for protecting Ella and me.” The Lord spoke directly to my heart and said “Nancy, I’ve been protecting you for years. This is just the first time I’ve allowed you to see.”
Have you ever wondered if our Father truly knows what is happening here on earth? If He really is in control? Well, rest assured that He does know and He is in control of all things. The Psalms are full of His encouragement to hold on and trust Him in every situation. Psalm 32:7 says we can hide in Him and He will protect us. We read in Psalm 28:7 that God is our strength. Psalm 46:1, 2 says that God is our help in trouble - always - so we should not be afraid. I love Psalm 121:1-3: “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber . . . “
We have no idea how many times the Lord has protected us from trouble. Perhaps in being late, we are kept from hitting a car crossing into our lane. Or the frustration of a broken dryer allows us to see lint that is caught in ductwork and about to catch fire. I do not know . . . but I can tell you about a Father who kept a canner full of green beans from blowing up 20 seconds earlier than it did. And a woman who is very thankful that her Father allowed her, just once, to see His protection in her life.
Father, I thank you for protecting my family and me from danger. I praise you for watching over me every single day.. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up . . .
Reflect
Do you immediately complain when your plans are disrupted?
Have you considered that the Lord was protecting you from problems or even danger?
Apply
The next time your plans are disrupted, stop and thank the Lord for protecting you from whatever might be ahead.
Praise God for protecting you from “green bean explosions” in your life.
Power
Psalm 46:1, 2 (NIV) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Psalm 28:7 (NIV) “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him and I am helped.”
Psalm 121:1-3 (NIV) “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber…”
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