Keeping Us Close to God – May 17, 2021

[Jesus said] Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
John 17:11

Keeping Us Close to God

There’s an old Looney Tunes cartoon involving two dogs—Chester and Spike. Chester was a small, jumpy, scrawny puppy. He would easily lose in an alley fight with almost any other animal. Yet Chester was always confident as he walked through life. Why? Because he was never far from his friend Spike. Spike was a big, strong bulldog. As long as Spike was close, Chester felt safe, knowing his big friend would always be there for him in his time of need.

There are times when we might feel like Spike—strong enough to face any challenge life throws at us. But I think we more often know how it feels to be Chester—vulnerable and weak to the many challenges we meet each day in our families, on our job, and maybe especially in our hearts.

Jesus knows this about us. It’s why he offered the prayer he did in John chapter 17. Jesus prayed that your Father in heaven would keep you safe by being for you what Spike was to Chester.

And he will. Your Father in heaven accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for sins on the cross. So there is nothing standing between you and your God. He is right beside you so that you can walk through life as the fictional Chester did—confident that you will always be cared for in your times of need.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, watch over and protect me by your almighty power. Amen.