I remember my mom’s taking me to the park when I was a little girl. We went often, because I absolutely loved it. Going to the park is one of my favorite memories of childhood. Now that I have children of my own, I take them to the park, and they love it as much as I always did.
The most recent time we went to a nearby park, Timmy surprised me. Instead of wanting to spend all his time on the swings, he decided to run around exploring the park and the play equipment. I let him roam free and followed a few steps behind, far enough away that he could feel like he was on his own, yet close enough I could step in if I needed to.
That’s because while the park is fun, there are dangers involved. A little guy like Timmy, who at the time was not quite two, is almost completely unaware of the bad things that could happen. He could fall down. He could walk too close to the front of the swings and get knocked over by a child who couldn’t stop in time. He could fall off a piece of equipment. Worse yet, an adult might pose a threat.
So, though I don’t like to think about these things, I followed close behind Timmy in case one of them actually happened. Because it was possible. Even though Timmy had no clue, I did. So I protected him.
In the same way—though far more perfectly—God protects us from a host of dangers of which we’re unaware. He does this primarily in two ways: by sticking close to us, and by warning us away from danger areas.
Just as I wouldn’t have let Timmy wander to close to the creek running through the park, God warns us away from people, situations, and places He knows are dangerous. If we insist on pushing past His boundaries, we are foolishly heading into danger. Likewise, in the same way that I stuck close to Timmy, God always stays close to us. He’s always right there with us to protect us from dangers we may not even be aware we need protecting from. As we roam freely (within the boundaries He’s laid out for us) and play to our heart’s content, God stays by our side in case we need Him.
Timmy didn’t need to be made aware of all the dangers; it was sufficient for him to go on his merry way within the appropriate boundaries I’d set for him. You and I don’t need to know all the dangers we’re being protected from; we just need to trust God that if He says “Stop!” there’s a perfect reason for it, and to obey His directions.
It’s fun following a little kid around at a park. But it’s even more fun being the little kid who gets to play. That’s what you and I are: God’s children. We’re the ones getting to have fun while God stays watchful and makes sure nothing outside His will happens to us.
The next time you take your kids to the park, think not only about how you protect them, but about God’s protection of you. Thank Him for what He’s protecting you from right this minute, whether you know the danger or not. Thank Him that He’s always on duty so you can play. And thank Him that He knows exactly the right boundaries to prescribe—boundaries that won’t keep you away from fun, but will instead provide you the largest, best space in which to play freely.
What an amazing God we have!
Psalm 121:4—Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
