May the Lord Guard Your Coming In and Your Going Out
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – 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;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.
As we prepare to wrap up 2023 and head into a new year, we likely will look back at what has been and forward to what might come. We cheer the accomplishments and mourn the losses. We keep count of what matters and resolve to do better in the new year to come. We ponder those things that made us laugh and cry and those people whose presence made our year more memorable and meaningful, whether for good or for difficult. We grieve what was lost, or what could have been, but was not. The turn of the calendar is nostalgic and full of hope.
Yet, the change of date, turn of the page and setting of a new calendar year doesn’t change anything. God is constant. He doesn’t need a refresh. He isn’t moved by new starts or resolutions. He always was and always is and always will be.
The photo above shows scripture from Psalm 121. It was found embedded in a mosaic on the floor of an ancient 7th century church in Jerusalem. “May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.” As the believers traversed the floor, it was a ready reminder of God’s protection and goodness.
What a sweet and powerful blessing to pray over those we love! As we come into 2024 and go out of 2023!
The Lord IS mighty and able to guard us in anything we might face. That’s such a comfort as we step into a new year, isn’t it? The word ‘guard’ in Hebrew is ‘samar’ and it means, “to keep watch, preserve, to hedge about, as with thorns, guard, protect, and attend to”. It’s more than just watchfulness, it’s an all-encompassing protection. When shepherds would care for their flocks, they would construct a hedge or barrier of thorns to keep the sheep safe from predators, especially those who lurked in the darkness. When the Lord guards out going out, He encompasses us on all sides with His powerful protection and His attentive watchfulness, ready to keep us from harm and from the enemy that would seek to destroy us. This world is dark, but our Lord is mighty to guard and protect.
He guards out going out (yasa). In Hebrew it means “to go, bring or lead out, both literally and figuratively. It can also mean to go abroad, send with a commandment, spread, go to and fro.” (2) You see, whether we step out with intention, of maybe we wander a bit, perhaps we receive orders or a call to go somewhere specifically or take a step into something new, God is guarding and guiding. He is good to go and be wherever we are. What a sweet assurance and comforting blessing! No matter where our sons or daughters go…or are sent, our God is with them. We can rest knowing He’s there, even when we cannot be.
God guards our coming in, our ‘bo’ in Hebrew. Bo means “to come, call, carry, enter, fetch, follow, pull in, grant, lead, or send.” God may bring us in willingly, or maybe we are kicking and screaming…either way, our Father is present and active. He grants us entrance into so many things: a new season, a new year, and new opportunities to learn and grow. We may be called, led, carried or pulled, but God is right there. Our going out and our coming in are all in His hands, and we are assured He will guard every step.
The amazing thing is that God’s guarding is not dependent on clock or calendar, nor on our willingness or submission. God is not limited by those things that limit us. He guards both now, right at this present moment and forevermore for all eternity, time without end. Always. Ever. Without fail.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
As we get ready to step into 2024, we don’t know what the year may hold, but it’s certain that some will have great joys and others, deep sorrow. Some may be waiting, and the new year will be a time of expectant hope. Some will recognize blessings overflowing while others may have abundant blessings, yet not recognize them for what they are. There may be peace and joy or pain and longing. But there is one constant of which we can be assured. The Great I AM. Jehovah- the Existing One. Our God is steady and unchanging. Though the calendar may change, and the weeks and months fly by, God remains ever present and watchful, always providing and protecting. Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard. There is nothing out of His reach or too strong for His mighty hand and outstretched arm to overcome. Long before December 31, 2023, arrived, He knew what the day would hold and the year leading up to it. And when we wake to see His new creation of January 1, 2024, we can know we are watching God fulfill His plan, set in motion before the world began, for that good day.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
The calendar shouldn’t determine how we approach the next day or the next year, God is our portion forever. Forever! Though a new year will bring something new, our God is the Ancient of Days. The LORD will watch over our coming in and our going out both now and forevermore. Forevermore!! Change is inevitable, but our Lord is unchanging and always present. He is good and we can trust Him to work and do what is for our good and His glory. Let’s not look to the ‘ball’ that drops as the sign that a new year will bring hope and good change. Let’s look to the Lord who stands, ever present and strong.
“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; Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand- The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121
Today, let’s pray for our loved ones as we welcome the new year. Pray that what is behind doesn’t define or derail them. Pray that what is ahead is powerfully held in the mighty hands of the Father and that they trust His strong grip on their life. Pray that they look to the Lord for their strength and hope. Pray that the Lord would watch over their going out of 2023 and their coming into 2024 and would keep them ever pursuing Him, following His steps carefully and listening to His voice attentively, a sheep of His pasture, eager to be His child, surrounded by His watchful care.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
What a generous blessing to pray over our loved ones!!
Pray without ceasing.
1. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H3318 - yāṣā' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3318/kjv/wlc/0-1/
3. H935 - bô' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h935/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Doubt: part 1. Ambiguity and Confusion
James 1:6 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” (ESV)
or
James 1:6 “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” (NLT)
or
James 1:6 “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” (NASB)
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Doubt can color everything, can’t it? It can impact our trust, our understanding, our ability to connect with others and, ultimately, our ability to trust in the Lord. We often hear the phrase “I doubt it” and we may even use it ourselves. It’s our way of expressing disbelief, or at least skepticism. It can be a challenge or a simple expression of ambiguity. But when it comes to our faith, it can crack our foundation or bring rot to our roots.
What really causes doubt? Over the next few weeks we’re going to look at some other words for doubt and their antonyms to give us a bit more insight. We want to be confident in how we should pray for others who may struggle with doubt.
Look at that list. Do you see anything unique about the left column? The words are all tactics Satan uses to undermine the work of the Holy Spirit, to erode our faith and to woo people away from Christ. This week we’ll look at the first two words, ambiguity and confusion and we’ll dive into the others over the next two weeks.
If we’re ambiguous it means that we’re open to various meanings and we’re equivocal (1). We’re prone to “waffle”. Someone who is ambiguous will not say there is just one way to Heaven, that would be too narrow and exclusive. No, they’ll be more of an ‘all roads lead to Heaven” kind of person. But John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We can be certain that Jesus is the only way to reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sin and redemption to eternal life.
Satan wants nothing more than to remove absolutes. If he can convince people that ‘being a good person’ or ‘doing good works’ will earn a spot in Heaven, then he’s accomplished his deception and lured people from the cross. Ambiguity leads to variations of the gospel, yet Galatians 1:6-7 warns us “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Yes, there are ‘different gospels’ out there, but only One gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ that provides grace and mercy for sinners. Romans 10:9 confirms it, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” That is Biblical certainty right there- there’s nothing ambiguous about it.
We need to pray that our sons and daughters have a clear understanding of justification and redemption through Jesus Christ. Romans 4:25-5:2 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Pray that they would have spiritual wisdom and would daily pursue Godly knowledge so that they are on guard against false gospels that would woo them from the cross. Pray that they have peace in the certainty that there is one way to the Father and that is through Jesus.
The second tactic Satan uses is confusion- a state of disorder. Have you ever been to a party where they play “pin the tail on the donkey”? The player is blindfolded and then spun around several times so they lose their bearings and have no sense of direction. Because they’re blindfolded, they have no ability to ‘see’ where they are going and their senses are confused. The spectators around them yell directions, but not everyone is honest about the destination they’re pointing toward. Just like the player in the game, those who struggle with confusion listen to those around them with no sense of who is leading them or to what they are being led. They lack a foundation of Truth and because of that, they’re vulnerable to follow the wrong path.
There are many ‘voices’ that give false direction. Oh, they ‘look the part’. They sound knowledgeable. But even Satan used scripture to tempt Jesus (Luke 4). Those struggling with spiritual confusion lack the spiritual discretion that warns them from false teachers. These other voices ‘sound good’ and the doubters begin to buy into the message. Why? Because they lack knowledge of Scripture. They lack a solid foundation. They lack spiritual discretion and a heart in tune with the Holy Spirit. Satan counts on that. He stirs confusion to pull people away from the Truth. But scripture says, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:33
An understanding of Scripture brings clarity. Pursuing correct knowledge and growing in our understanding of God’s Word protects us from confusion by the enemy. We must pray that our sons and daughters are diligent to add to their Biblical knowledge and guard against deception and confusion. 2 Peter 3: 17-18 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
This week, let’s pray over our sons and daughters so ambiguity and confusion would not infect and impact their faith and cause them to doubt. Friends, the enemy is alive and well. He is the prince of the power of this earth. He is at work to draw us away from Christ and plant the seeds of doubt in our hearts. Let’s fight this!! Let’s get on our knees and intercede for those we love.
“Father, You see the dangers we face each day and You are mighty to surround us with protection. I pray for Your divine protection over (name) today. Filter what they hear through the Truth of Scripture. Give them spiritual discernment to know when they encounter false teaching or deceptive messages. I pray that they would have unwavering commitment to walk with You so they are not easily pulled from the path of life and sidelined by the enemy. Keep their path clear of obstacles that would make them ‘trip’ and make their direction sure- always pointed toward You and moving closer each day. Lord, guard us all from ambiguity and confusion. Don’t allow the opinions of others or the pressure of the crowd to influence our commitment and certainty about following Christ. I pray Philippians 4:7 over (name) today “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
It Matters Who You Follow
Matthew 24:23-27 “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Once upon a time, two teens were leaving the house to drive to school. They’d recently moved to a different house but were going to finish at the school they attended through the year. Neither was very good at directions, so when they pulled out of the driveway and saw a school bus, they thought they were golden! “We’ll just follow the bus!” they thought. “Because the bus always goes to school, right?”
They wound their way along, past farm fields, houses and barns, neither was worried that they didn’t really know where they were. They were following the bus and that would lead them to school; they were certain. Imagine their dismay when they pulled into the school lot and it wasn’t their school at all! They’d followed a bus for a different school district. It ‘looked’ the same, but it wasn’t going to the same destination. They were fooled into believing it would because, at first glance, it was just like their school bus. They didn’t check for evidence, they just followed.
Who you follow matters. What you pay attention to makes a difference.
Far too often, there are things that ‘look’ like they’re Biblical, or they sound “Christian” enough that we don’t ask questions or dig deeper. We follow because we hear or see enough to make us comfortable. Yet, we might find ourselves following after something that isn’t really Biblical and that’s the goal of the Enemy. Jesus said in Matthew 24, that as the end of days neared, there would be great deception and if possible, even the elect would be deceived.
As parents, we need to pray seriously, specifically and continuously for our sons and daughters that as the days grow darker, they would follow Jesus without wavering. We need to pray that they would have discretion in who and what they choose to listen to and follow. We need to pray that they would spot deception. Pray that they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit speaking and moving in their lives so that they will heed His warning when they encounter deception. Pray that they would be uneasy and alert to the present danger and wiles of the devil.
It matters who they follow and we need to stand in the gap in prayer as they navigate this life and the spiritual dangers around them. Just because they’re adults doesn’t mean they’re ‘golden’, it’s all the more reason to double-down on prayer for their spiritual growth and protection. This week, make a list of those things you want to pray over. Maybe put those items on an index card and carry it with you. Pray daily. Pray often. Pray using scripture and pray without ceasing.
Be Careful
Deuteronomy 11:16 “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”
James 1:14 “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”
God knows our weaknesses. He knows how we’re wired. He gives us the admonition to “Be careful” because He knows we’re easily drawn to those things we shouldn’t be. He also knows the capability of our Enemy and that he will do anything to pull us away from Jesus. It’s imperative that we are mindful of what we choose to allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our hearts to love.
The word scripture uses to tell us to “Be careful” is the Greek word, “samar”, which means to “keep watch or to guard, to hedge about (as with thorns), be circumspect, take heed (to self), look narrowly, preserve, be a watchman.” (1)
The dangers we face are all around us (be circumspect). We need protection on every side (hedge about as with thorns). We need to pay attention so that we’re not caught by surprise (take heed) and we must be aware of our own weaknesses (to self). We need to home in on those threats, dangers, and things that are suspect so that we can preserve our testimony and ensure we walk faithfully and avoid sin. We must be watchmen, daily, moment by moment, never letting our guard down, because when we do, that’s when the Enemy attacks.
But why is it so crucial? Because James says “each one is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” That being ‘dragged away’ isn’t a violent act where we fight tooth and nail to resist. No, it’s a lure that draws us unexpectedly, quietly, and we come of our own accord. Our guard is down, our pride is full, and we think we’re immune to the danger. THAT is why we need to be on guard, hedged about, circumspect, self-aware and watchful.
Friends, look around. This world is dark. Satan is active. He wants nothing more than to poach God’s sheep. Let’s encircle our sons and daughters with powerful prayer today to protect them from being lured and falling into bondage to the Enemy.
“Father, I pray that You would intervene in (name)’s life today. Stop their ears to the whisper of the Enemy. Blind their eyes to his lures. Keep their feet from treading where they ought not and protect their hands from reaching into the fire of temptation. I pray that You would surround (name) with a hedge of protection- spiritual thorns that will keep the Enemy from getting close. Help (name) to be self-aware, understanding their weaknesses and being intentional to avoid those things that would tempt them to stray. I pray that You would put other watchmen in their lives who would pray for them, encourage them and hold them accountable . Preserve their faith and protect their testimony. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (esv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/esv/wlc/0-1/