The Lord bless you and keep you. . .

I learned something new in my staff time devotional on Friday (got a gray hair, Pop!)In ancient Israel, the shepherds would collect thorn bushes and surround their flocks with thorn bushes to keep them safe. This served to keep animals out, but also kept the sheep in. What animal wants to traipse through thorns? It would be just a tad painful. I was thinking about this today and how God uses painful things in our lives all the time to "keep" us safe. How often do we think that the grass is greener on the other side, only to find it's not? What a blessing that sometimes God keeps us from having to learn that the hard way by keeping us from trying to cross. We humans can be pretty foolish sometimes. We would lay out all day in the blazing sun if we didn't start burning. We could stay out in the cold if we wouldn't become numb. How about eating until we explode? There's a reason our stomachs start to hurt.
Maybe that's why we sometimes have to go through these hard times. Maybe this is one of God's ways of keeping us from going or doing something that would/could cause us harm or draw us away from Him.
We are such children, aren't we? I find myself saying to God, "It's not fair. Why can't we just have what we want? Look at that person over there! They have it! Why can't I?" If I just hush, then I can hear Him whispering to me, "You are not them. I am your Father and you need to trust me that I know what's best for you. Just like your children need to trust you."

God, I am so grateful that you keep me, even though I am so prone to wander.