Hedge of Protection

“Hedge of Protection,” by Jan

Pastor often jokes that no one listens to him during our worship service, but a recent event in our family’s life made me vividly recall a phrase he often used during our time of prayer.  When a Marine in our church family was in Afghanistan and Iraq, Pastor prayed for a “hedge of protection” around him and his comrades-in-arms.  Now that our Marine is home in the United States, we know that God’s hand was indeed upon him, as he survived some very close calls. 

I witnessed that hedge of protection first hand last week.  My daughter called to tell me that my granddaughter, who is in kindergarten, accidently got left behind when her after school group went to the park to play.  Fortunately a kind man and woman found her, and since my granddaughter knew her mom’s cell phone number, they were able to call my daughter to come to the rescue.  (Please teach your children your cell phone number, if they don’t already know it!) 

Immediately the thoughts of “what if” flooded my brain and made me sick to my stomach.  The news is full of horror stories about innocent children who are kidnapped and never found, or worse.  When my daughter hung up with me, as the tears flowed unchecked down my face, I closed my eyes, folded my hands and thanked God for the hedge of protection that He so graciously provided for my precious granddaughter. 

Some might say it was just luck.  I know that it was the hand of God – and I know that He has been with me and mine in other situations – however this was the most obvious one to date.  I have praised God for this miracle in the hearing of everyone I tell the story to – as a witness to my faith and His goodness to me and my granddaughter.  And I continue to thank Him in prayer every day that a potential disaster was averted by His grace and mercy. 

Have you ever experienced the hand of God or His hedge of protection around you?