Umbrellas are made to protect us from getting wet when it is raining. Rain can come down as a drizzle or it can come fast and hard. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, here comes the wind, thunder, and lightning! Sometimes we get a warning but there are times that we are caught off guard. Yep, we are in trouble if we are caught out there without an umbrella. When it is a really bad storm any kind of umbrella just will not do. We need a large, strong umbrella, one that the wind cannot destroy or blow away. One that can withstand the pressures of the weather. I am talking rain, but this also pertains to life.
When life trials and tribulations threaten to take us down, God is our umbrella, our protection. When we move from under God’s umbrella, we are in trouble. I have been caught in a rainstorm while driving. It was difficult to see in front of me because of the rain. There was nowhere to pull over, and I could not just sit in the middle of the road. So, I slowly kept moving and crying. Do not judge me. I was scared! Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it? Life can be scary. I have also been caught in the storms of life and did not know what to do. But God! He knows what to do and He is our protection. The troubles of life can come unexpected, fast, and hard just like a rainstorm. My mom used to say, “when it rains it pours.” She was talking about life. When we are facing the challenges of life, we need the protection of God, who is never caught off guard and who is greater than anything we may be going through. When we are under God’s umbrella, the troubles may still come, we may feel frustrated and overwhelmed, but God will not allow a weapon formed against us to prosper. There is no one or anything that can penetrate the protection of God when we are surrounded by His love, grace, and mercy. Umbrellas may get old over time; they may wear out under the pressure. But God’s umbrella never wears out, we are protected and safe, no matter how hard life may get.
“But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.” (Jeremiah 7:23)
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17)
Why would anyone move from underneath the safety of God’s umbrella? Most times it is because we are not willing to surrender to God’s will. We choose not to be obedient, patient, or to wait on God. We want to feel in control. We want what we want and we want it now! Why do we have to wait? We have rights! We believe being obedient to God’s Word is not an option, especially when we have the enemy in our ear, telling us that we can do what we want when we want. Remember Eve? Big mistake to listen to the father of lies! We must surrender our life to God with faith and He will protect us.
“You will not surely die,” the serpent told her.” (Genesis 3:4)
“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Johns 8:44)
“And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
God wants us to be obedient. His desire is for us to obey Him even when we do not understand. Even if we may not feel like it. Obeying God is an essential step in receiving God’s greatest blessings and being under His umbrella of protection. When God tells us to do something, then we need to obey. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. If we are obedient to God, when we get caught in the storms of life, we will be protected. The prayer of protection in Psalm 91 reminds us that if we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and take the Lord as our refuge and fortress, we are covered under His wings and protected by an angelic army. We will have a sense of peace and joy even during the storms. That is what happens when we are under God’s umbrella, we experience His goodness and His protection! Love and Blessings…
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!” (Psalms 112:1)
EMMANUEL 
Yes and Amen. We serve an awesome God! Your grandma knew she was covered, and you have that same faith! TGBTG!
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Great revelation from the Lord. We should also desire to have God as our umbrella. This came to my spirit.
I remember this hurricane came through Durham, NC. I had to be about 9 or 10. I was with my grandma and we got caught downtown waiting on the bus. We were the only ones outside and we were in this tiny bus shelter. With the winds and rains swirling all around us, my grandmother didn’t panic. She told me to hold close to her as she wrapped her coat around me and turned her back towards the street. For some reason I felt safe. It took until my adult years to realize the miracle in that situation. My grandmother was a woman of faith, and while she protected me, God was her umbrella and protected her and me. That hurricane tore up many buildings and houses all around us, yet we weren’t touched. A little wet but safe and well. See my grandmother had a relationship with Christ, so she didn’t see the storm as a threat because she knew her God! Her concern was to comfort me as God was comforting her!
Now I have a opportunity to tell others about that same umbrella, that same God that saved us from a physical storm, can save us from spiritual storms as well.
Glory be to God.
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