Armco
Armco, yep, that folded, molded and rolled galvanized metal barrier that the roads board fit to the side of the roads where dangers, precipitous places, lakes or rivers, would engulf and destroy any traveler who drove off the side of the road, then death or very serious injuries would be inflicted, yep, that is the stuff we are considering. What are the barriers that keep you from suffering or losing your very life? Not only considering your physical life, but what keeps you from losing your ‘Eternal Life’ as well, what ‘Armco’ keeps you safe? King David knew of dangers, and pretty much stayed safe on the correct side of the ‘Armco Barrier,’ so he wrote this in Psalms 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” 1 Kings 15:5 “Because David did [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any [thing] that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” King David stayed right on track, the straight and narrow, did the right thing all the time, perfect, well except for the time he crashed through the barrier, he repented, rebuilt, and forever stayed on the right side of the law as we often say.
Psalm 28:7 “The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” What are your ‘Guard Rails’ and what are your ‘Safety Barriers?” What do you measure off in difficult situations, do you say, there is the edge and ‘Armco’ over there, I can clearly see that, move away a wee bit more, what do you stay away from, and then we remain right on track, safe, what is your ‘Armco?’ 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 show you things to come.” Wise people use Scripture and the Holy Spirit to show them where the barriers are, to shine light upon them, where the safe paths are, yes you can crash through, but you will then suffer the consequences. ‘Wages of Sin.’
Job 8:13 “So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:” Psalm 17:5 “Hold up my goings in thy paths, [that] my footsteps slip not.” Psalm 23:3 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 25:10 “All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].” Mark 1:3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” God is doing his very best to hedge up the paths to keep us from danger and injury, God has erected miles or ‘Armco’ but still people clamber over, crash through, or drive up on the wrong side, and when the inevitable happens, God is often the first to be blamed, yet God was the very one who put up the ‘Armco,’ erected all the warning signs, so why blame God when we are on the wrong side of the ‘Armco?’
When we look at Job Chapter 1, and view it through our subject, modernize it, it would read somewhat like this. God calls the monarchs or rulers of all the inhabited planets to come before him for a special meeting. Satan presents himself as ‘Ruler of all the inhabitants of Planet Earth,’ a role he deceptively stole from Adam. God challenges him on his right to be there, and Satan replies that he rules over all its inhabitants, so he therefore has the rights to be their representative, as they all now serve him. God leans over and whispers, ‘Not quite all them, Have you considered my servant Job?’ Unfair Satan replies, you have him surrounded by ‘Armco’ on all sides, thus he never strays into my territory, and by the way, I am unable to leg it over the ‘Armco’ to get access to him, you protect him on all sides with ‘Armco.’ Psalm 28:7 {Modified} “The LORD [is] my strength and my {Armco} shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 23:1-6 LXX “The Lord tends me as a shepherd, and I shall want for nothing. In a place of green grass, there he has made me dwell: he has nourished me by the water of rest. He has restored my soul: he has guided me into the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake. Yea even if I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of evils: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, these have comforted me. Thou hast prepared a table before me in presence of them that afflict me: thou hast thoroughly anointed my head with oil, and thy cup cheers me like the best juices. Thy mercy also shall follow me all the days of my life: and my dwelling shall be in the house of the Lord for a very long time.” Even David as a Shepherd, clearly saw the guidance and protection of God, those barriers, what we call ‘Armco,’ that shield, protection and guide, something sinners know nothing about as they are swayed by every storm of trial and doubt. Psalm 18:2 “The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.” God is our fortress and strength, our tower of refuge, a place where we can run in and be saved, safe behind the ‘Armco’ of Gods benevolence, love, compassion, healing protection and adoring love. So which side of the fence do you want to be on? Why not ‘Leg it over,’ and find real life, safe inside God’s ‘Armco.’ Quote; “The happiness of human beings is in their obedience to the laws of God. In their obedience to God’s Law, they are surrounded as with a hedge and kept from evil. No one can be happy and depart from God’s specified requirements, and set up a standard of their own, which they decide they can safely follow.” {MR Vol. 6 P336} Remember; real life, is only found when one is safely inside of God’s ‘Armco.’
