Reflect
There are many verses in Scripture that speak of God as a shield, a protector, a guard against stumbling. They are words of comfort and assurance–a reminder of God’s providence. But what did they mean to a people who had been defeated and seen God’s temple destroyed? And what do they mean to us when we have stumbled or worse, been knocked down? The assurance that God watches over his beloved, that God protects the weak and the vulnerable—what does it mean to us when we are sprawled on the floor?
Pray
Dear Jesus,
On the way to the cross, you fell three times;
Let me not be afraid of being like you.
Protect me not from the bruises of the hard ground,
But from my own bruised ego and the sin of pride.
Act
Find an image of Station VII from the Stations of the Cross. In this image we see Jesus, having stumbled and fallen a second time. Take 15 minutes to contemplate what that means. He has already fallen once, and he knows that he will fall again. And yet, if even Jesus fell, then clearly this isn’t a promise of stability or physical security. Pondering that image, ask yourself: What does this promise mean to me? The next time you find yourself knocked down and uncertain if you even want to get back up again, remember this icon—Station VII. God’s protection may not always look like a shield; sometimes it may even look like a cross.
