Circling the Wagons

Who are your people?

“May he send you help from the sanctuary and strengthen your support from Zion.” - Psalm 20:2

Have you ever been in a place where you need help?  Not just a quick helping hand – I’m talking long-suffering help when life gets unexpectedly tough? 

During the West expansion, wagon trains would form a circle as they traveled to safeguard their people from attackers.  Circling the wagons was a way to keep moving forward with protection as a community. 

This imagery has become a beautiful picture to me of the body of Christ surrounding its people during rough roads.  I like to think of that type of help as “help from the sanctuary” – God sending our tribe to provide care for us in ways we don’t even know we need. 

Recently, as our family has encountered hardship, our people have circled the wagons around us in so many ways.  What’s moved my heart the most is how they are offering encouragement, scripture, prayers and sweet words to our kids while they work through fears and the “what ifs” that pop up when the sun goes down.  That, my friend, is help from the sanctuary that is strengthening our family; our people loving us and carrying our burdens with us.  This is the Body of Christ – the gift of community. 

Do you have loved ones who will bear your burdens with you when its time to circle the wagons?  Who are those people?  My prayer for you is that you can experience this help when you need His strength.