Opinion: Coverage
We all need some form of protection in life. Regardless of who you are, where you came from or where you hope to end up, we need assistance. We should never think that we can get through life without others. We live among two basic types of people: givers and takers. Those who are givers have problems receiving, and those who are takers have problems giving. We should, however, try to find a happy medium. Whether giver or taker, some form of protection will eventually be needed.
A good western or war movie will have scenes where two sides engage in some type of confrontation between the antagonist and the protagonist. Eventually one side will try to invade the camp of the other. The pursuer would ask his company to cover him. This meant that he or she could get closer to the opponent and have a much greater chance to overtake him.
The types of protection that we use are endless. We cover ourselves when we go to bed at night. We cover our heads when it rains. We cover our vehicles by purchasing the proper amount of insurances. Then we cover it physically to protect the finish. Coverage means a lot to our daily way of living.
What would our lives be like without some forms of protection? Children think that they are invincible. However, without parental protection, their lives in many cases would crumble. I saw a sign once that read, "I told my teenager to hurry up and move out while he still knows everything."
Right now we live in a world where it seems like the people who have been promised protection have been left out in the cold to fend for themselves. The governors and the president are not on the same page. The senators and the representatives are not on the same page, but they all gave us promises to cover us in times of need.
When something is covered, an object is extended over it to conceal or protect it. Protection gives a sense of confidence. We should feel safe because of our military, government, insurance coverages, family and friend relationships, etc. However, as we have found out, this is not always the case. We often find ourselves in awe when one of the above fails us when we need them the most.
Where can we go to find permanent coverage? We need a type of coverage that will always be there to protect us. We need a type of cover that will last longer than we ourselves. We need a policy that will never lapse, deny us or change its premium. We need coverage protection that will never break promises.
Might I suggest to you a friend of mine - his name is Jesus! Before and after his painful death on the cross, he made a few promises to us that still hold true today.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20.
"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matthew 17:20).
Above are just a couple of his many promises to assure us that we have protection in him. If you are not affiliated with a local church, please get acquainted with one soon. Everybody needs to be under a doctrinally sound spiritual covering!
Sam Livingston is pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Manning.