Safe from the "snare of the fowler"

Truth divorced from life is not truth in its Biblical sense, but something else and something less.

A.W. Tozer

Yesterday was the first day in months I heard the diesel engine of school buses in our area. Two groups of 15-20 children in our neighborhood catch the bus directly in front of our house each day.

When the youngsters headed towards school, I found myself clapping and laughing with joy, you see, I don’t have to miss my children all day—I get to be with them, and enjoy them, and teach them!

My dear husband likens what we do here everyday as life in an eagle’s nest—high and far away in “the cleft of the rock”, safe from the “snare of the fowler” and the “noisome pestilence”.

Here, we cover our children with our feathers, we keep them safe under our “wings”, and we give them truth as their shield and buckler. (Psalm 91).

Well-meaning folks often misunderstand us—they misunderstood Jesus, too! But God has given Him the “name above all names”!

It takes guts to live for God in an age where even the church is abandoning the perfectness of the Word of God for the world’s vain philosophies. It takes a leaning on the Holy Spirit to know the way to go when all roads lead back to the City of Destruction (Pilgrim’s Progress). It is so easy to give in to compromise when one of the modern tenants of false religion is that everyone should just “get along”.

But Jesus didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword! Righteous living appeals to those who thirst after it, but it offends those who are running away from it. When we live for God, and when we are following Christ, we can’t help but be offensive to those in the world, even if they claim the name of Christian but do not obey nor walk according to the Spirit of Christ found in His word. (Gal. 5:16-18)

Our homeschooling everyday is more than just a “choice”, it is a miracle. We are a miracle, that God should keep our marriage strong, and give us the health and finances to continue—bless His name!

So yesterday we celebrated our freedom. We sang hymns as we drove to a nearby forested canyon with a stream running through it so we could play all morning. Then we went home, gave oral presentations, had a spelling bee, did some sketching and we all had fun making sopapillas for lunch, glopping lots of honey along the way!

Here are some of our celebration scriptures:

(Proverbs 15:15)

 

All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

(Psalm 124:7)

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

(Psalm 62:5-12)

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

(Isaiah 55: 8-9)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

(Isaiah 43:18-19)

Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland.

(Romans 8:14)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

(Galatians 5:1)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

(John 16:13)

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.