I will admit to liking to pop bubble wrap bubbles. I also slap my hand to NOT do it! Then again, I save bubble wrap because it comes in handy for all sorts of things… but I do have ENOUGH!

When my granddaughter, Gracie, was young, she was easily injured playing sports. One time, when I was with her, I wrapped her in bubble wrap and took a picture of her “suited up”! I have a cousin and a niece who have also joked about perhaps they should wrap themselves in bubble wrap.

I was out walking and praying, and asking God to wrap some of my friends in His bubble wrap!  How’s that??  God’s bubblewrap?  

When I was caring for my husband who had dementia and its progression into Alzheimer’s, I will admit to getting punched (not by my husband … but by the enemy!) and knocked down emotionally and at times spiritually.  It was (and is) a very hard road to travel.  My pastor friend, Jack Rozell, sent me some scripture verses and notes on practicing the presence of God and “wraparound” references in The Passion Translation.  I will admit I needed to feel His Spirit wrap around me when I felt I was at my wits’ end (actually, I need Him ALL the time!!)

1. He surrounds (wraps around) us as a shield. Psalm 3:3, “But in the depths of my heart I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself” (TPT).

What is a shield? a) a broad piece of armor; b) a person or thing that protects; c) intercepts blows, conceals from danger or harm.

He is above, beneath, on each side, front, back, and inside … we are WRAPPED in His loving arms much as we would wrap a baby to protect it from wind, rain, or sun (and pesky people!).

In chapter 18:30, “Yahweh, what a perfect God you are! All Yahweh’s promises have proven true.  What a secure shelter for all those who turn to hide themselves in you, the wraparound God.” (TPT)and notes from TPT “The Hebrew word used here (often translated ‘shield’) means ‘to wrap around in protection.’”

I went through a time when I was facing a possible health threat, and I became a bit frightened.  I can’t say it was a vision, but in my mind I saw myself sitting in God’s hands and He was holding me … He was my protection and I was wrapped in His hands.  I commissioned an artist friend to draw a picture of me sitting in God’s hands.  I framed it and it hangs in my house to remind me of His wraparound presence! I need not fear!

2. He surrounds us also with His glory … Psalm 3:5, “So now I’ll lie down and sleep like a baby—then I’ll awake in safety, for you surround me with Your glory …” (TPT) … I particularly like this one because I often have trouble sleeping.

I am enveloped by Him, immersed in His presence … it’s better than bubble wrap!

3) He surrounds us with protection and brings victory.  Psalm 7:10, “God, your wrap-around presence is my protection and my defense. You bring victory to all who reach out for you.”  (TPT)

Are you reaching out to Him?  The atmosphere and circumstances around us can change in a moment’s notice, but as followers of Jesus, we belong to Him, and His presence is our defense and protects us from the attacks of the enemy.  Think “Armor of God”!

Psalm 62:2, “He alone is my safe place; his wraparound presence always protects me.” (TPT).  I like the song, “Safe am I, safe am I, in the hollow of His hand.  Sheltered o’er, sheltered o’er with His love forever more.”

4) He surrounds us with love and forgiveness. Psalm 32:10, “But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, his wraparound love will surround you” (TPT).  There is an order of things here … come to the Lord for forgiveness, and He is faithful to forgive, and His love will not only flood your heart, but His love will wrap around you, holding you close.  Do you remember when you first held your baby and how closely you wrapped that soft blanket around them and hugged them tightly?  Oh, I remember those hugging moments with my babies!

5) He surrounds us with hope and strength. Psalm 33:20, “The Lord alone is our radiant hope, and we trust in him with all our hearts.  His wraparound presence will strengthen us.” (TPT). Radiant … bright with joy … hope! And His presence will strengthen us.   What does your future hold?  We don’t know all that is in front of us, but God knows, and that is why we TRUST.  Oswald Chambers wrote, “God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is” and in Him we have hope in the future.

6) Surrounded with faith.  TPT translates Ephesians 6:16 this way, “In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One!” 

We are the ones to put on the armor.  Just as we dress ourselves in the mornings, we TAKE UP and PUT ON the armor that God has provided for us to fight the enemy.  The Word of God tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6).  How do we get that kind of faith?  Mark 11:22, the words of Jesus are “Have faith in God.” Some translations also “have the faith of God”.  It’s His faith that He puts within us, but we have to appropriate it.  So take up that wrap-around shield of faith and fight the battle with confidence! 

7) We will be surrounded with praises to our Lord!  I will end with this one, which thrills m,e and I hope it does that for you as well.  Psalm 64:10 again in TPT, “The lovers of God will be glad, rejoicing in the Lord.  They will be found in his glorious wraparound presence, singing songs of praise to God!”

Are you a lover of God? Are you rejoicing in Him?  Is your heart glad?  I know we all have troubles and trials, and wonder, “when will this end?” But as His people, we will experience here on earth His presence that will surround us, wrapping us in His love, and we WILL sing songs of praise to Him!  Do you feel you can’t sing?  Try!  Sing unto the Lord a new song! Make it a sacrifice of praise and … SING!

Someday we will BE in His literal presence, wrapping our arms around Him as He hugs us back, wrapping His arms around us!

His wraparound presence is better than bubble wrap any day! Smile.

Prayer: “Lord, wrap my heart to Yours and wrap my heart to Your purposes.”

***** Thank you, Jack Rozell, for sharing with me your thoughts on God’s wraparound presence and the thoughts it brought to me.

***** All scripture portions used in this Contemplation were taken from The Passion Translation.