Craig Clouston

 His Strong Right Hand

February 1

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life … with your right hand you save me.

Psalm 138:7

Steve and Rita traversed the snow-covered rocks to the floor of the gorge. Virtually unknown to the general public, Ice Rocks is hidden less than three miles off the main highway and just yards off the beaten path. Yet without knowledge of the rock formation, you would never suspect its presence.

A beautiful waterfall any time of the year, it is striking in mid- to late winter. A crescent-shaped gorge with a waterfall in its center, it boasts stalagmite and stalactite icicles as large as semi trailers. The gorge is sixty feet deep with a forty-foot mound of rock in the center. 

The falls becomes a frozen chute in winter, solid on three sides, water continuously pounding the creek bottom. Steve had Rita stand at the base of the falls to give the photo a sense of proportion. Hearing a loud crack, they moved quickly away from the immediate area. 

As they rounded the mountain of rock, putting distance between them and the ice, they heard a thunderous crash. Something had let go! Returning, they found a forty-foot piece of ice lying at the base of the falls, right where Rita had been standing. Had they not been warned by the crack, Rita might have been killed!

†

Steve and Rita had experienced God’s protection many times in their lives. They recognized His intervention on this day, moving them out of harm’s way with a warning crack. Although God is at work in all His children’s lives, we sometimes chalk His supernatural protection up to coincidence, good luck, or what some call fate. 

Regardless of what we read or see in movies, we are not two ships passing in the night. Nor are we feathers just floating about on the wind, guided by every breeze that comes along. Our Father has a strong right hand. 

With it, He preserves our lives. As His children, our choices will always be His concern. He protects us when we heed His warning. His desire is that we choose wisely, making some of the rescues unnecessary.

Prayer

“Thank You, Papa, for Your loving protection. Help us recognize Your right hand at work in our lives so we might give You praise. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”