Hemmed In by His Presence

"You hem me in - behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me."

~ Psalm 139:5 ~

I'm just going to be blatantly honest. The past few weeks have been rough. I told my husband this morning that I just haven't felt much like myself. Funny how certain unexpected circumstances can steal our joy without us even knowing it's being taken from us. Until it's happened. I don't like living life absent of joy. In fact, I despise it. Because what happens is that I get wrapped up in ME-ville. And that's a really ugly and complacent place to settle. But I also am well-aware, as you are, that sometimes life is just tough. Hardships are going to come and they will at times beat us down - sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally, and heaven forbid, even sometimes spiritually. This particular trial has not left me spiritually beat down, though I am still asking God exactly what He has for me to learn here in this place. I do feel entirely drained, however - Drained emotionally and even a little bit on the physical side. I have felt purposeless and unmotivated at times. And why I'm being so transparent with you, I haven't a clue. Other than perhaps just once again to have the opportunity to say ... I don't know where I would be without my God.

And you know what? Here's the thing. Whatever hardship you are facing, if it's real to you, then it's real to our Heavenly Father, who loves you more than you could ever imagine. Yes, it may be common to the rest of the world, but if it's happening to you and your heart is tender and hurt over it, then it's not common to you. And it's not common to our God. At the same time, He doesn't intend us to stay in that place. He longs to restore us to a place of effectiveness, to a place of worth, to a place of joy ...

The other night as I laid in bed trying to sort everything out in my head, I quoted and paraphrased the above Scripture over and over again to myself: You hem me in, Lord ... You're behind me and You're before me ... You have laid Your hand upon me ... Help me to feel Your Presence. Because if I am certain of one thing in a time of trial, it is this: If we are able to experience His Presence in the midst of it, we will get through it victoriously. And He alone, will bring back our joy. A joy that is genuine, because it is straight from the heart of God.

Out of curiosity I looked up the meaning of to hem: To surround in a restrictive manner; confined. According to the Scripture above, our God hems us in. The New American Standard version says that He encloses us: "Thou hast enclosed me behind and before" (Psalm 139:5, NASV). His Presence confines us. He is all over our pasts, and He is all over our futures. When I hear the word hem, I picture a military battle. Think about a lone soldier standing in the middle of a battlefield, hemmed in by opposing forces. Scripture says that "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them" (Psalm 34:7). This time, picture yourself - Right where you are at this moment: In your kitchen, at your desk, sitting at that little coffee shop. Now, picture God Himself wrapping a huge blanket around you. A blanket of protection, of compassion, of hope, of joy ... whatever you seem to be lacking at this very moment. Doesn't it feel so safe? Like you could withstand any trial as long as You felt His Presence surrounding you? Now, the wonderful thing about that blanket is that it is with you wherever you go. Because God Himself, has hemmed you in. He has confined you to Himself. And regardless of what has happened behind you, and regardless of what is before you ... The most important thing is that it is God who is surrounding you. Psalm 125:2 is yet another reminder of God's promise to surround His people: "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore." Did you get that? Both now ... and forevermore.

And of course I love the next phrase in this verse: "You have laid Your hand upon me." He is not only behind and before us ... His presence is also very much upon us, on this very day.

All that being said - God is with you, my friend. And He is with me - And I so praise Him for His Presence, don't you? So yes, a hard time that is hopefully very soon coming to an end ... But just another opportunity to share how recklessly in need of my Savior I am. And how desperately I have come to long for His Presence. Because His Presence alone ... Is my joy.

Hemmed in by His Presence.
Behind. Before. And upon.