I suppose it was inevitable for me to wonder why I was locking the door for the third time as I left the house to travel to work. I had been prepared to leave fifteen minutes earlier as usual. At least I thought I was. Then I remembered to take my morning medication. I went out and locked the door, remembered the umbrella I needed that day. I locked the door again and remembered the steaming hot cup of coffee I had poured, still sitting on the counter. Was I just being absent minded or was I being protected?
I believe God has His hands on my life and directs me at His good pleasure. All that occurs, pleasant or uncomfortable, is for my good. This day was no different. I even asked “Lord, what are you protecting me from?” I had witnessed deadly accidents, fires in vehicles, extremely hazardous road conditions and knew that my safety in any of those circumstances depended slightly on my diligence and attention but mostly on the provision of my loving Heavenly Father. So, I surmised that even if He did not directly advise me of the calamity which was avoided, He still was in control.
Trust is like respect. It is earned by repeated performance. As a leader for many years in several churches I have been afforded a measure of acceptance and respect for my spiritual wisdom and Scriptural knowledge. Both of which are given by the Lord and not of my own making. While I respect the power and presence of the Almighty Creator God of the universe, I trust His care for me completely. Some might say that respect involves fear and trust involves love. Okay, I don’t think I would argue against that. He has demonstrated His power through the accounts in Scripture and through His intervention in every day events. He has revealed His love and care for me by patiently wooing me to Himself and then gently molding me into the vessel He desires for His glory.
So I trust Him. I trust He allowed the delays on this day to keep me from being in a place at a time when the outcome could have been unpleasant. As I traveled to work, the highway appeared more congested than usual. The road conditions were less than optimal owing to the rain and mist. I was thanking the Lord for His protection and provision. Still I was looking at every circumstance and driving as defensively as possible. I trust Him, but it is not a blind trust without participation. He knows me. He knows what stirs me to do well and how I can draw back from His guidance at times. He desire my best. He has made provision for His glory in every aspect of our relationship and knows the moment when He will call me home. He hasn’t shared that with me yet.
I often say there are probably not many of the people who died today who woke that morning thinking “Today is the day of my death”. It is because we do not know. We trust Him. And those who do not know Him as their Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior, still must leave that timing to Him. I am protected from evil and sickness and disease as much as it glorifies Him. I think of paralyzed people who give Him greater glory because of their infirmities than if they were whole. I think of cancer sufferers or the aged, or those with a thousand other medical issues who can praise Him not only in the midst of their circumstances but actually praise Him FOR their issues. They are protected from a life without His presence. They are protected because they chose to acknowledge what He showed them to be true. He is Love. He can be Trusted. The absence of His presence is a fearful thing. Almost as fear filled as rejecting His gift and accepting His wrath.
As I drove in to work the first half of the trip was intense, with heavier than usual traffic and poor road conditions. I prayed and was watchful. I gave way and didn’t try to push through. Then at some point the rain ceased, traffic lightened, the speed was consistent and I found myself much more relaxed. Had I passed the test? Did I get carried through the danger? Was I grateful for the easing of my concerns? I was protected. Protected from harm of others being less diligent than they should be. Protected from my own haste and self-assurances by His loving care for me. He does not desire that all my lessons be in the school of hard knocks or the house of experience. He desires that in our communion together, He would say go and I would go. That He would say stay and I would stay. That whenever I ask, I would not proceed until I received a clear answer from Him. He has given His written Word which is the history of His relationship with His chosen people and the record of His spoken word both before and after He was present as the living Word.
Some folks ask about the dark days ahead and wonder where the protection of God will be for those who must go through them. I can confidently direct them to the record of Joseph and Daniel and David and many, many others who were protected in their evil circumstances by the God whom they loved and followed. Dark days are not their largest problem. The day of God’s judgement is a far greater concern. It is called the Great White Throne Judgement. It is described as the last place God will speak to those who rejected Him in their life here on earth. Even though He protected them from their own bad choices and evil desires, even though He sent many believers to witness to them, to write to them, to declare His love to them, even though He did all of that and much more, they did not accept Him or His protection. They did not fear His wrath. They did not respect His person. They did not love His ways. And in so doing, they chose their judgement.
I am protected. I know His love, His presence, His guiding hand and His salvation. I do not fear His wrath because He already poured it out on Jesus His Son when He was crucified on Calvary. I do not mock Him but I cherish Him. I am willing to be or not be anything He wants. I am seeking His pleasure daily. I am tickled beyond words to watch Him guide my life moment by moment for my Good and His glory. I still do not know why, but I am not the least bit concerned. I do not wonder for I am protected.