Secure in a Shell by Petra Pierre - Robertson

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.  Proverbs 15:3



I stood alone watching the snail as it moved around, outside of its shell, stretching, eating and luxuriating in the blazing sun, unaware that a potential enemy was lurking. It was secure with its shell; even if there was an enemy, its shell would provide protection. 


Snail exploring its habitat

After about eight minutes of observation, I decided to test that premise. Would it immediately pull into the shell if I ventured closer? I moved very close to it.  Immediately, the soft slimy body slid back into the safety of its shell.


Snail pulling back into shell

But how safe was that shell really?  It was so easy for me to crush it; or pick it up and fling it against a wall, or in a pond, or dig the soft body of the snail out of the shell with an object. It occurred to me then that the protection of the snail at that point, was not really in the shell, but in me as I stood almost guard-like over it.  When I moved, it would be vulnerable once more; someone else may see it; and destroy it. Dear Reader of this blog, please note that like that snail, I was also vulnerable, for I was standing alone, in a deserted area, observing the snail, to the exclusion of my surroundings.  Who was watching over me as I stood watch over the snail?

But, back to the initial question.  Like the snail, do we also move around, secure in our knowledge that our shells will protect us? These symbolic shells include, finances, family support, jobs, friendships and even time? The truth is, these shells can so easily be crushed; we can be mercilessly pried from these shells.  An enemy not just lurks, but stalks, waiting to strike at the opportune moment. 


May our security lie not in our shells, which can so easily be destroyed, but in the hands of the one whose eyes are in every place, not only watching us, but also watching the evil intent of others, moreso the archenemy, towards us! 

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (Psalm 34:15)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TRAPPED: One man's joy... By Petra Pierre-Robertson Robertson

Image
Proverbs 14:10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. The grate was meant to prevent accident or injury for us. In an unguarded moment we could misstep, or fall, spraining an ankle or sustaining other injury in the process. It was necessary. It also added to the aesthetics. I should also mention that birds share our habitat. We love having them around. The sight of them. The sound of them. We love the sight and sound of them On day one of the job, a bird was trapped. It found its way under the grate, probably lured by a bite, or out of curiosity. We saw it in time. It kept going further into danger, going up trying to escape, when it should be going down. We pointed it in the correct direction coaxed it and led it out of the trap. Trapped On day two another bird was not as fortunate. We saw it too late. We surmised that something caught its attention, probably a morsel and it poked its head through the grate and was trapped. The sight of it t
Read more

Conflicting Signals by Petra Pierre-Robertson

Image
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. It was a demonstration for a class. It was set up in the library. It looked so cute I stopped to take pictures. I had no idea what the objectives for the lesson were, but as I took the pictures my own lessons, encapsulated in the title of the blog, came to mind So many voices! Have you ever been inundated with voices? All legitimate? Yet all giving conflicting signals? Or different instruction? And were you ever at your wits end wondering just who should you listen to? There are just so many voices, sometimes. And oftentimes what causes even more confusion is that these voices come from legitimate sources at home, church, school and society! There are just so many voices, sometimes! The still small voice I think of Elijah. He heard several diverse voices in the wind, in the earthquake, and in the fire. Yet, at that point of his experience, even though in other situations G
Read more

What's in the Darkness by Petra Pierre-Robertson

Image
Daniel 2:22 "He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him" It was early morning. The windows were closed. The curtains were drawn. The silence of morning was therapeutic as I walked through the house planning my day in my head. Three major tasks swam in my head. I headed to my 'To Do" memo pad to document them. Thankfully no major cleaning was necessary. As I passed the living room I noted a little debris on the rug so I digressed for the broom and dust tray to sweep the debris off the rug. Small debris on the rug I pulled back the curtain. The early morning sunlight seeped through. And immediately I saw them; little particles of dust in a straight line riding on the beam of the sun. Instinctively I held my breath as I walked through them. Then it occurred to me,  the particles are in the entire room. I pulled the curtain wider. Additional particles joined the ride and danced on a widened beam.  Dust particles da
Read more