Welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread.

Today's reading titled God's Protection was written by Monica LaRose.

Needles, milk, mushrooms, elevators, births, bees, and bees and blenders. These are just a fraction of

the many phobias attributed to Mr. Adrian Monk, detective and title character of the TV show,

Monk. But when he and longtime rival Harold Crenshaw find themselves locked in a car trunk,

Monk has a breakthrough that allows him to cross off at least one fear from his list, cluster phobia. It's while

Monk and Harold are both panicking that the epiphany comes, abruptly interrupting Monk's

angst. I think we've been looking at this the wrong way, he tells Harold.

This trunk, these walls, they're not closing in on us.

They're protecting us, really.

They're keeping the bad stuff out, germs and snakes and harmonicas.

Eyes widening, Harold sees what he means and whispers in wonder.

This trunk is our friend.

In Psalm 63, it's almost as if David has a similar epiphany, despite being in a dry and

parched land, when David remembers God's power, glory, and love,

it's as if the desert transforms into a place of God's care and protection. Like a baby bird

hiding in the shelter of a mother's wings, David finds that when he clings to God, even in that

barren place, he can feast as with the richest of foods, finding nourishment and strength

in a love that is better than life.

Today is our daily bread devotional scripture reading is Psalm 63.

You, God, are my God.

Earnestly, I seek you.

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