Our relationship with God is worth protecting.

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Covered bridges are becoming extinct. They demand a great deal of care. The Gallon House bridge is no exception. It has received many repairs since it was built in 1916. Maybe Oregon restores her bridges because they provide a momentary relief from the rain for water soaked travelers. (There are fifty covered bridges in Oregon, most of them in the Willamette Valley.)

Mt. Angel, Oregon

Let your steadfast love,
O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:22 English Standard Version

The steadfast love of God provides more than a momentary relief from the struggles of life. The steadfast love of the Lord is gives us life. Though we often get soaked by the things we think will bring us life, our hope is in the One who is our life. He is our protection.

But from what do we need protection? Some would say that if God is a loving God then he shouldn’t allow bad things to happen to us. Cancer shouldn’t infect bodies.  Babies shouldn’t die. People shouldn’t be abused. Some people expect God to give them heaven now.

But God never promised us heaven this side of the grave. Instead, God promises to protect us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Most of all he protects our relationship with him. He protects that which really matters: the gift of life. Maybe it’s not what we expect but it’s what we need.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner