"Reaching Up"

"Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercies' sake." (Psalms 44:26) All things considered, our redemption is always a lot closer than we actually think that it is. I know that we sometimes cannot see it, nor does it seem possible in some of our trials that there are any easy answers or solutions that will make the trial go away; but that's the thing which is most glorious about God, because He is the answer and the solution! He is so glorious that He replaces the trial with more of Himself, thereby making the trial seem less of a threat to our lives. We really don't get that a lot of times, but the truth is, we focus so much upon that which is seen, we sometimes forget how much power is provide us by just reaching up to God. After all, God is bigger than any problem we could ever have, and He is more powerful than any trial that might appear to overtake us. As to the whole point of "a prayer for protection", this has more to do with that than we might think; because if we are earnestly going to seek God's protection through praying to Him, then there are a few things that we need to know about Him before we can earnestly do that. The first of which, is that God is able to do that which we pray for; if we don't truly believe that He is able, that doesn't necessarily mean that He won't, it just means that we won't earnestly ask Him; I don't adhere to that whole notion of God didn't answer your prayer because you lacked faith thing, because God does things according to His will, not ours. Secondly, if He is able, then we must believe that He is willing to do that which we pray for; and if not what we are praying specifically for, then what is best for our lives in His perfect will. In other words, the answer and solution is not always what we are looking for, but instead will always draw us closer to Him; that might include death, believe it or not; at which point, it doesn't get any closer than that. And thirdly, to be totally and completely assured of His protection, we must totally and completely understand how holy that He is, and because He is holy, we must be holy... "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:12-18)