I would always giggle a little when people would pray for a hedge of protection. Really? A hedge? I guess I picture a small line of shrubs in a wavy pattern along the school sidewalk or down the neighbors walk leading to their front door. I’m sure I have jumped through rows of them as a kid running about the neighborhood. But lately God has been showing me a lot about hedges and I decided to do a little research and see if a “hedge” is really biblical. Side note – I encourage you to research scripture so you understand the content and the meaning. If you hear something and it doesn’t make sense, then be diligent and research. I also know I have some really smart people in my life who know so much more than me about God’s Word that I can always ask; you know who you are.

The first thing I research is the Book of Job and read that Satan says to God in chapter 1 verse 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him (Job) and his household and everything he has?” Wow, if Satan is saying that God put a hedge around Job and because of that hedge Satan can’t touch Job then I should take this hedge seriously. Second there were a lot of wild animals in the books of the Old Testament and people needed to protect their families as well as their livestock. Wood fences were just not feasible do to lack of supply and stone walls would take way too long to build. But a vine, thick, thorny hedge would do the trick. They were too high for animals to jump over and too thick and thorny for them to run through. Perfect barrier from anything that would try and attack. A hedge…..go figure.

God has shown me through this process various hedges in my life. First people are a hedge. I know I have people that have my back and are there if I need anything. People that will be there when I start freaking out, when thoughts begin to run rampant in my head. People I can call and share something I’m confused about and they can help me make sense of it. The amount of people praying created a HUGE hedge around me to give me peace and not fear. To give me discernment and not confusion. It is so important no matter what you might be going through to have a “hedge” of people in your life. John 15:16 says “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus truly laid down His life by going to the cross, carrying our sin and dying the most painful death. On earth we can in a way lay down our life for a friend by showing love and compassion, praying for them, lending a hand, using your gifts, talents, love language to not only show love but to be love. Be that hedge around your friend when they are in need. Another little side note: If there are people you think should be there for you and they are not, well maybe God knows best. Forget about it, don’t let yourself get consumed with rage over people that probably shouldn’t be there in the first place. Also, appreciate people for the hedge only they can provide.

Scripture itself (and most importantly) is a hedge around our thoughts and our heart. Proverbs 4 tells us that we need to pay attention to God’s word. Verse 21-23 says “Do not let them out of your sight, for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.” The bible is full of wisdom and will guide us and protect us in every situation we face. When you need to protect your thoughts turn to God’s word because negative thoughts, being scared, worried, confused etc. are all gift of the enemy. Satan is hear to not only out right lie to you but to confuse you. To make you think differently than what you really should. During this long waiting period for my various doctor appointments there would be brief moments when my thoughts would say “see, you aren’t praying enough”, “you aren’t going to church enough”, you missed your devotional time yesterday to watch a recorded episode of Law and Order” (I told you I would be honest) or “this is probably metastasized and it is somewhere else in your body” or how about “your probably going to die, didn’t your dad die from cancer?”. Seriously? The devil is a liar! My hedge of protection around these thoughts is the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
That is why I have shared scriptures and asked for people to share with me. It is also why I can say I had so much peace. Why I knew I wasn’t going to die. I believe what the bible says and it says Jesus took a beating for my healing. Isaiah 53:5 says “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 says “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” So when the enemy chirps in your ear and says, “things aren’t looking good and you are really sick” I can say “NO! My God says by HIS stripes I am healed!”. That is what it means to take every thought captive. When you hear your mind tell you something that is negative or sound questionable ask yourself what does God’s word say. Now maybe you are like me and don’t know always where to find a scripture related to your thought….Google it. Get Bible Gateway or the You Version app and search. It makes God smile when we open up that bible. OK, getting off track but I hope that will help someone.

What “hedges” do you have in place and what type of “hedges” are you praying for in situations you are facing.