January 6

Covered

Belgium, 1944:
“Cover me!” the sergeant yells to his pinned down squad as he breaks his cover to charge the machine gun nest. As he runs a zigzag pattern, the corporals and privates in his command lay down a withering fire from M1 Garand carbines and the Browning automatic rifle. The enemy machine gunners cease firing to find cover as the soldier with the stripes tosses a grenade into their emplacement, ending the war for them.

Today, on the job:
“Cover for me,” the guilty party pleads to his friend. Friendship overrules common sense and the boss never finds out.

When we are under attack, and even when we are guilty, there is One who covers us.

In Today’s Battle
Against unnumbered foes, the Lord Jesus covers us from a position of power with weapons of a spiritual warfare that are mighty indeed. We can charge boldly into the day with all its dangers knowing the enemy must cower before the Name of Jesus and retreat in the face of determined obedience to His Word.

When we have done wrong, He covers us, not from a standpoint of ignorance—He knows us better than we know ourselves—but from a position of innocence and unbridled love. When we repent, the Holy Spirit wipes away the charge against us and writes in its place the full payment of Christ’s sinless blood.

Jesus has us covered. He is the soldier with the stripes.

• We can step toward this day with full knowledge that He knows us completely and He is standing in sovereignty over every moment to come.
• We can ignore the accuser of our souls when Satan tries to tell us we are guilty beyond repair and abandoned to fend for ourselves.
  We are armed with the truth—The Lord has us covered—He has “hemmed us in behind and before!” Nothing of the past can drag us down and nothing in the future will run us over.

In prayer today, we are saying to Him, “Cover me, Lord!”

And He will!

Scripture:
Psalm 91:1-4 NIV
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when You do something, You do it well. You covered my past with grace; You cover each moment with strength; and You are building a shelter for me in eternity. You cover my sins when I repent. You cover my life with angels on patrol. This You do so well, so thoroughly, that I would be foolish to fear what man may do to me. Remind me today that You have me covered. I can be bold for You. Amen.

Song:
Cover Me
Text and Music: Andrew Culverwell

Cover me, Lord, with Your presence,
Cover me, Lord, with Your Righteousness,
Cover me, Lord, with Your Holiness,
Lord Jesus, cover me.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved