Lord Watch Over Her

 

Sometimes I long  for those days when my little girl was four and I could easily protect her.  I could buckle her into her car seat to keep her safe and kneel by her bedside to pray when she had bad dreams or convince her that there really were not monsters in the closet, although I don't think I was ever completely successful at doing so. 

It was when she first started driving that I started realizing my inability to really watch over her and keep her safe.  Yes I'd sit up and wait for her when she was out with her friends  and I heave a large sigh of relief when I would hear the garage door go up.  Before she left I'd remind her that there were some "Crazies" out there to which she'd laugh and reply, "Oh, Dad."  Little did she know that these verbal pats on the head didn't make me feel any better.  It was at these times of feeling helpless that I realized how much I need  to depend on that Lord to watch over my daughter as she grew.

With each passing year came more and more the realization that it really wasn't in my own power to be able to watch over her and keep her safe.

After High School she was off to college in California and the year after that it was to York England for her second year with trips to Rome & Croatia .   I won't even side track into her losing her passport while she was in London.

And now, she's on her way to India  as a part of the Chapel Missions India  team to work with to local teams there.  She will be volunteering in orphanages and churches.  Nothing stretches your faith more than having your daughter on the other side of the globe with very little means of keeping in touch.  We sit by our cell phones waiting for a text to let us know how she's doing. 

Even as I write this post, these verses are impressed on my heart.

The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.  Psalm 121:7-8

The Lord will watch over our lives and in fact  it's an illusion that I thought I had the ability to protect my daughter beyond what the Lord's enabling power, at any age.  My Lord, please watch over my lovely daughter.