Saturday 25th November
“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139:5) (NIVUK)
When we were in PNG, I made tops and dresses with double-lined pockets that had Velcro across the top opening for when I went shopping. Pick-pockets were rife in Mt Hagen, and almost every time I went shopping someone would try to steal my purse. Our children were young, and it was almost impossible to care for them and keep my valuables safe. My pockets proved a pretty successful solution to this problem, as they kept the items I placed in them concealed and protected. I had essentially “hemmed them in’!
We usually think of the saying,’ hemmed in’ in a negative way as we interpret it to mean being overly constrained or confined. Yet, in this context, we are instead reminded that we are surrounded on every side by God’s love, care, and protection. Like the contents of my pockets, we are kept safe and unharmed by evil.
Not only are we safely hemmed in, but his hand is on us for support, encouragement, and guidance. If we need to be constrained, then it is because we are about to take the wrong path or walk into danger.
“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” Psalm 125:2 (NIVUK)
Karen Barklay
