Safe with God

We can be confident with God in the knowledge that he loves us and has power to save us. He will keep his children secure for eternity.

What does the Bible say about how safe we are with God -

1. Protected by God - Deuteronomy 31v6
2. Nothing separates - Romans 8:35-37
3. Protection in practice - Matthew 26:7-13
4. God able to protect - 2 Kings 6:13-17
5. Safe not easy - 2 Corinthians 4:6-10

Protected by God

Deuteronomy 31v6

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What is God’s promise to his people?
2. What is the basis for being strong and courageous?

Thoughts to consider

The Lord has his purposes and he is for us. We can have confidence in his protection and care. We know that he who knows everything about the situation and every person involved will do whatever is best.

Nothing separates

Romans 8:35-37

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. In what conditions does this passage say that we can be sure of God’s love?
2. What does God say is the final outcome when terrible things happen?

Thoughts to consider

God loves us because we are his children People question his motives and his willingness because they only see their situation from a limited perspective. The Lord who promises good for us sees from an all knowing and eternal perspective. He is good.

Protection in practice

Matthew 26:7-13

While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. This account shows a situation developing in an unsafe way. How does the story unfold?
2. How does Jesus intervene to protect?

Thoughts to consider

Jesus defends the weak from the strong, in this case his closest friends. We can have an expectation that Jesus will intervene in our troubles.

God able to protect

2 Kings 6:13-17

“Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.”
And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.

“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What threat was Elisha, God’s prophet under?
2. How was God protecting Elisha?

Thoughts to consider

When I am tempted by circumstances to fear, I have to remember that I can only see one dimension of the situation. I cannot see the spiritual side. I have to believe God’s promise to keep me safe and that he has power to do so.

Safe not easy

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What purpose does God have for troubles in life?
2. How does God limit the trouble?

Thoughts to consider

Troubles come for our development. The Lord is always seeking to move us to deeper love. Such troubles do not indicate that God abandoned us, but that he trusts us to develop through them.

Overview question for reflection or discussion

1. What is God’s attitude to his people?
2. What confidence can we have that God will keep us safe with him?

Thoughts to consider

We are God’s children and he has no intention of losing us. Nothing can separate us from his love.

Photo Credit

Photo by Issy Bailey on Unsplash