Would you like to see what we have written on a subject? Use the search below.
search this site the web
site search by freefind

[If you purchase anything on this site, I may make a commission. Disclosure Policy]

Protected By God

Sarah was protected by God in a supernatural way.  I am sure she must have been shocked when, as they were about to leave for lands unknown, her husband asked her to tell the people they met that she was his sister not his wife.  They both knew she was a beautiful woman and sometimes rulers of countries murdered husbands in order to add their wives to the ruler’s haram.  It was a very real danger, still it was a betrayal by her husband.  She had every right to expect him to protect her to the best of his ability.  Instead, he was asking her to sacrifice herself in order to protect him.  It was the complete reversal of the way things were supposed to work.

Woman Praising God
Sarah was being protected by God even when all those around her looked the other way for their own safety.

Although I am sure she was deeply hurt by his request, she obeyed.  Everywhere they went she said she was his sister - which would also have required the cooperation of a growing number of servants.

Sure enough on two different occasions with two different rulers the situation came up.  Each time Sarah kept her word as she was taken to the haram to become the wife of the king.  Both times she was protected by God as He appeared to the kings in a dream warning them not to touch her, to return her to her husband and threatening dire consequences if they did not.  Both times the kings complied, rebuked Abraham for his deception and upheld Sarah’s innocence of any wrong doing.

This is what we call “the happy ending.”  Sarah was protected by God and everything turned out alright in the end.  Yet we know that the traditional “happy ending” does not always happen for God’s people.  The roll of martyrs grows every year.  Christians lose their jobs, endure assaults, face family rejection and more simply for their faith.  Why are they not protected by God?  Does God have favourites?  Or have they missed something?  Why doesn’t everyone get a “happy ending?”

Not Protected By God?

Actually every Christian does get a “happy ending” just not from a temporary human perspective.  Consider Jesus.  He ended His earthly life being tortured and then crucified.  Where was the protection of God then?  If He had been protected, then salvation would not have been possible.  Yet was that really the end?  Of course not.  Did Jesus have a “happy ending?”  We know He did and by faith we know every child of God has a happy ending - it just does not always appear that way to earthly eyes.

So what makes the difference on whether God intervenes in this life or not?  There may be several factors, but the primary one is the purpose of God.  God has a purpose for each one of His children.  In Sarah’s case she was to be the mother of Isaac [and nations] through whose line ultimately the Messiah would come.  That could not happen if she and Abraham were separated.  The protection of God worked to overcome all obstacles.

In the case of Jesus, everything that happened was necessary for bringing salvation to a lost and dying humanity.  It has been said that “the blood of martyrs is seed.”  Persecution many times spreads the gospel to bring the life of God to others [although it should be noted that nowhere in Scripture does it say the persecution is necessary for the expansion of the Kingdom of God].  Sometimes it is as people see Christians suffering without denying their Lord that hard hearts are broken and the love of Christ can come in.  When the people of God suffer patiently the spiritual forces of Hell are embarrassed and the Glory of God is upheld [remember Job].

We know that God loves His people.  He does not allow them to suffer any unnecessary pain.  We don’t see why some things are required from our limited often emotional perspective.  That is where faith and trust come in.  We are in a war and no war is successfully waged without sacrifice.  Sometimes we will see the supernatural intervention of God in our lives, sometimes we may not.  The three Hebrew children did not know whether God would save them or not, but either way they were determined to remain faithful [Dan. 3].  Likewise, we are to remain faithful, knowing God is faithful and we are protected by God.  Nothing can happen that He does not allow for the expansion of His kingdom and our ultimate benefit.  If not in this life, certainly in the one to come all God’s people will have a “happy ending.”

For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.


Sign up for our free monthly newsletter or take one of our free Bible Study courses.

Please note: We no longer have the commenting feature [maybe again in the future].  Joshua Institute students who have questions or comments on their courses can use the contact button and mention the course name and lesson number in the email.  Thank you.  Glenn

Solo Build It!

You might like these

  • What Was Adam's Real Sin?

    Adam's real sin went deeper than disobedience and rebellion. It is an insidious foe that wraps its tentacles around each human heart. Guard against it today!

  • The Real Terror Of Sodom

    Sodom stands in infamy, but the real terror of Sodom is hidden below the surface. It stands as a warning to all Christians.

  • In Christ

    We are in Christ! What a wonderful, protected place to be. The devil cannot touch us. Circumstances cannot destroy us.

  • Fallen Angels In The Bible

    Fallen angels are what is known as evil angels, unclean spirits or demons in the Bible. Discover what their most deadly power is.

  • The Earth Will Be Filled With The Knowledge Of God

    Defeatism is a modern Christian error. Habakkuk declares that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God.

  • Christian Self-Doubt

    Some times as Christians we experience self-doubt, wondering if we have wasted our lives or missed God's will.

  • Possess The Land God Has Given You

    As Christians we need to possess the land that God had given us. Our spiritual Promised Land is there, but it is not handed out on a golden platter.

  • God's Battle Plan

    God's battle plan does not make sense to the natural mind...but it works!

  • The Armor Of God

    We stand in the armor of God against the forces of spiritual darkness manifesting themselves in our physical world.

  • Courage To Stand

    Nehemiah had the courage to stand against fear. He would not give into it even for moment. We need to learn from his example.



Lookup a word or passage in the Bible


BibleGateway.com
Include this form on your page