It was an interesting
weekend to say the least. The police called the pastor to tell him that a
strict Hindu group was planning to cause problems for churches during their services. The police wanted to send a plain clothed police officer to the
church to make sure our services were uninterrupted. Just the week before, the
same Hindu group pressured the police into arresting dozens of Christians for
“forcing” people to convert. They were later released, and that apparently
infuriated the Hindu group. They want the country to be a Hindu country again,
making it illegal for the people to become Christians.
The messages that day (both
services) were packed full of the Gospel. The police officer was there, and had
even been invited inside. He listened closely to every word. He was even given
a Bible to take home with him. He saw first hand that we were not enemies
forcing anyone to believe, but simply offering the truth that changed our
lives.
The greatest encouragement
actually came after the service. The Christians were very clear that they
appreciated the show of support for religious freedom, but that our safety
didn’t come from man.
How easy it would have been
to give into fear! How easy it would have been to trust in the police to
protect us! I am thankful the pastor didn’t give in to fear. He didn’t call up
the police station asking for a guard. He actually didn’t do anything
differently at all in preparation for that day.
But one thing we must always
remember:
Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared against the day of
battle: but safety is of the LORD.”
Can God use the horse in
battle? Absolutely! Can God use a policeman to protect His people? If He
chooses to do so He can. But really our protection is only in Him.
Ezra
8:21 “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at
the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of
him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For
I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us
against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The
hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his
wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God
for this: and he was intreated of us.”
I was sitting down doing my
devotions this morning in the book of Ezra. Ezra was heading to Jerusalem Jerusalem
Ezra refused to call up the
king and ask for an armed escort. He had already told the king how God’s hand
was with them for good that seek him. How could Ezra ask for an armed escort?
He trusted God would take care of them. He trusted God cared and that God had
the power to protect them. If God chose to use an armed escort, Ezra was fine
with that. He just wanted God’s will and for God to get the glory. But he WOULD
NOT run to the world for his security.
How much do we trust God?
When a problem or potential danger arises, do we run to the world for rescue
and shelter? Some of us are serving in potentially dangerous areas. Do we trust
God to protect us, our family, our church? Some of us have children on the
field. Do we allow fear of what might happen to our children control us? Some
are facing financial difficulties. Do we run to the bank or the credit card or
do we instead hit our knees seeking God’s direction?
We should be “ashamed to require” of the world our
protection and provision. Our protection and provision comes from our Father in
Heaven.
“… The hand
of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath
is against all them that forsake him.”
Charity, Southern Asia
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