You are not alone.......

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he satstoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, Sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

I am reminded of Psalms 121. As we read this Psalms, we will discover that we see God in four ways: as Helper in verses 1 and 2; as Keeper in verses 3 and 4; as Protector in verses 5 and 6; and as Preserver in verses 7 and 8. I love verse 1 of this Psalms that says "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth ". I love this verse simply because it is the only action that I need to take, that is to look up to the LORD in my times of trouble and HE will be there just beside me - being my Helper, my Keeper, my Protector and my Preserver. What a mighty and awesome God we serve !!!!

Be Blessed.