By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

On Friday, I saw a picture of a lonely surfer in the water near Strandfontein outside Cape Town. Where he sat on his board in the water, he was unaware of large sharks swimming around him. The photographer told how he hovered in his gyrocopter for five minutes above the surfer and saw at least five sharks within 100m of the surfer. Yet the surfer was totally unaware of them – even the one passing right underneath his board (see picture here: http://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/kyk-5-haaie-1-branderryer-20160212).

The enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy us (John 10:10). He looks for ways to hurt us and use "sharks" in the form of challenges in the workplace, threats of bankruptcy, gossip stories to damage our character, conflict with a loved one, flirtation by someone outside our marriages or even our children being bullied at school. These "sharks" fill us with an uneasy feeling, anxiety or even fear.

However, one thing we should remember is that God, like the photographer in the gyrocopter, has a different perspective. He sees every "shark" - even those that we are still unaware of. In Psalm 33: 13-14, we read: “The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.”

God not only see the sharks, He is able to protect us from them. In Isaiah 41:10 we read: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” In Psalm 23:4 we read: “Even when I walk through the darkest valley,I will not be afraid . . .” And in Psalm 121 it is written: “I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”

May we go into this week, knowing that God is omnipresent and our Protector. He puts a cage of steel around us, when it feels as if we are on a board, deep within the water with sharks closing in on us. Let us thank Him for that protection. God bless.

Father God, thank you for being omnipresent and protecting me from the “sharks” that the enemy wants to use to destroy me. Help me to not live in fear, but constantly put my hope in You. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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