by Richelle Hecker

Nothing can snatch us away

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link. 

It’s April, and time to get serious about prepping the vegetable garden. Perhaps in some regions people are out planting, but here we still have quite a bit of time before it’s safe to put plants in the ground. Before then I need to pull out weeds popping through the ground, cut back perennials, and fertilize the soil. Getting ready to grow things takes a lot of fore planning.

One of the biggest jobs to do in the garden this year is digging the soil out of the flowerbeds and laying down wire before putting it all back in. The purpose of the wire is to keep burrowing animals out. In seasons past I have lost entire plants to these critters. One day I have a whole cucumber plant and the next it is gone. All that is left is a hole in the ground and evidence of tunneling. It is very frustrating to nurture a plant hoping for a harvest only to have it suddenly disappear, stolen away.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
John 10:10 New Living Translation

In the same way as I work hard to protect my garden, God works hard at protecting us. Much of His work was done before we even knew Him. He prepared the soil of our hearts for the seed that He planted. He allowed us to go through experiences that made our faith stronger and caused us to hunger and thirst for Him.

He protects us from the evil one whose purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy as well. In the garden I’m putting a barrier underneath the soil to protect my plants. God places His Holy Spirit in our hearts to protect us. This barrier ensures that our faith is not stolen. Jesus says,

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me”
John 10:28 New Living Translation

He has done everything necessary in advance to safeguard our salvation. We are His, and we cannot be snatched away from Him.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado