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Protected By God

God protected Sarah in a supernatural way. I am sure she was 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 asked her to sacrifice herself to protect him. It was the complete opposite of how things were supposed to work.

Although I am sure his request deeply hurt her, she obeyed. Everywhere they went, she said she was his sister, which also required cooperation from 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 when they took her to the harem to become the king's wife. Both times, God protected her: 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.

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This is what we call “the happy ending.” God protected Sarah, and everything turned out all right in the end. Yet we know the traditional “happy ending” doesn't 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 doesn't God protect them? Does God have favourites? Or have they missed something? Why doesn’t everyone get a “happy ending?”

Not Protected By God?

Actually, every Christian gets a “happy ending,” just not from a temporary, human perspective. Consider Jesus. He ended His earthly life being tortured and then crucified. Where was God's protection 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 doesn't always look that way to earthly eyes.

So what makes the difference in whether God intervenes in this life? Several factors may be at work, but the primary one is God's purpose. 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 the Messiah would ultimately come. That could not happen if she and Abraham were separated. God's protection worked to overcome all obstacles.

In Jesus' case, everything that happened was necessary to bring salvation to a lost and dying humanity. It has been said that “the blood of martyrs is seed.” Persecution often spreads the gospel and brings the life of God to others [though nowhere in Scripture does it say persecution is necessary for the expansion of the Kingdom of God]. Sometimes, as people see Christians suffering without denying their Lord, hard hearts break, and the love of Christ can come in. When God's people 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. From our limited, often emotional perspective, we don’t see why some things are required. 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 God's supernatural intervention 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.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; [n]and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up.” Dan. 3:17-18, NASB

Likewise, we are to remain faithful, knowing God is faithful and protects us. 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.”

Glenn Davis is a Christian author and Bible teacher whose work draws on more than 40 years of study, writing, and teaching in local churches. He has written 700+ articles, created five Bible courses, published three books, and shared 300+ Bible videos on YouTube. Readers can find his books on Amazon, follow his teaching on YouTube or visit Glenn Davis Books. Away from the keyboard, he enjoys time with family, reading, walking, and board or card games.

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