As I sit in my ‘office’ which is really more like the landing on top of the stairs, I gaze out at a multitude of yellow flowers. These bushes are prolific in the Estate where we live and I have always found them rather cheerful and bright. But recently, I discovered that their nickname is the ‘tick bush’, because they are a favorite for ticks. This was not good news for me because we have cat, which I regard to be feral (she is not my favorite friend at all) and she is forever bringing ticks into our home. Ever since the girls were born, I have been paranoid that they would get bitten by a tick and become an unfortunate victim of tick-bite fever.
This was not a completely irrational concern because we found a tick which had bitten into my back when I was preggie with the girls and I had to be treated with a preventative drug because we didn’t know what effect tick-bite fever would have on the fetus development.
So … I have prayed many many prayers over the girls for their protection from these tiny little critters who unfortunately share our home with us. (until they are discovered of course, and promptly flushed down the sink)
But last night, Clayton came with a whole new slant on our little quandary. News24 released an article on a new strain of disease that is transmitted only by the Western Cape tick. This disease is incurable and could be potentially fatal. Of course, he flew into a panic, which was unusual because this is traditionally my job, and proceeded to be on high alert to find the cat and keep her and her ticks away from girls. You may be wondering why we don’t just use a topical treatment that will keep the ticks off the cat. The answer is that we do, but this only protects the cat because the ticks not longer bite into her. Instead, she carries them into the house where they hang around waiting for another vulnerable host.
Yet, in spite of this new information, I still slept soundly and when I woke early to have my very much appreciated quiet time, the Lord reminded me of Psalm 91. I used to read this Psalm every night before I went to bed. When I was a young girl, I slept slept on the very far end of our huge family home and I was scared of all sorts of thing at night. Yet Psalm 91 always put my mind at ease and reading it again has reassured me that I do not need to live in fear of anything. I will hold this Psalm as a banner over my family. Read it and hold it as a banner over yours too. All things, big and small, if we trust in the Lord, he will keep us safe from them all.
Psalm 91 – God Our Protector
Whoever goes to the Lord for safety,
whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,
can say to him,
“You are my defender and protector.
You are my God; in you I trust.”
He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers
and from all deadly diseases.
He will cover you with his wings;
you will be safe in his care;
his faithfulness will protect and defend you.
You need not fear any dangers at night
or sudden attacks during the day
or the plagues that strike in the dark
or the evils that kill in daylight.
A thousand may fall dead beside you,
ten thousand all around you,
but you will not be harmed.
You will look and see
how the wicked are punished.
You have made the Lord your defender,
the Most High your protector,
and so no disaster will strike you,
no violence will come near your home.
God will put his angels in charge of you
to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands
to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones.
You will trample down lions and snakes,
fierce lions and poisonous snakes.
God says, “I will save those who love me
and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
when they are in trouble, I will be with them.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will reward them with long life;
I will save them.”