Forget The Hedge, Check Out My Umbrella!

A lot of people talk about a hedge of protection when it comes to God shielding us from the world. Recently in my Epic School of Ministry class, the teacher described another analogy for that protection. He talked about an umbrella, which is generally used to protect us from what is falling down on us due to the earthly laws. The umbrella is the new hedge. While we remain faithful to Him and follow His Word, we are sure to remain under His umbrella. As we step out and start getting away from His Word, we unknowingly step out from under the umbrella, leaving us wide open to get rained on. Sometimes it is just sprinkling and other times it will feel like a hurricane just struck without warning. The length of time we remain outside of His umbrella, however, is completely up to us. The Bible talks about in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." As soon as we repent for any sins we have committed, God instantly and totally forgets our iniquities that we have repented for. As it says in Psalms 103:12, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

The Good News - As soon as we repent, guys, as SOON as we do it, our sins are taken and thrown as far as the East is from the West. The East never touches the West, so they are eternally forgotten by God and never thought of again. But our faith requires action, and that action is our repentance.