It is sometimes hard for Christians to understand how God can be a protector, and at the same time allow so much suffering in their life.  In others lives.  In the world.  It is a fair question.  We see wars, famines, natural disasters… all of these things leave devastation in their wake.  If God is our protector, what is He protecting us from?

Matthew 10:37-39 – “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

During these fleeting moments of eternity, we call our life, often times what can seem important is infinitely inconsequential.

Matthew 16:26 – “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”   The protection that we have from the Lord is this:  1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  1 Peter 1:3-5 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, andunfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Suffering, can be the means by which God strengthens the faith of believers, and at the same time, reveals the infinite worth of the glory of God over temporary physical comfort/pleasure through you.  In the Old Testament, we see God as the protector of Israel.  In Romans 9, we see that the true “Israel” are those who are chosen by God to know Him and delight in Him through faith.  How do know that God is our protector?  Look at how all the promsises of God for protection were fulfilled in Christ:

Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower;the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 – “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
1 Samuel 12:22 – “For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.”
Judges 6:23 – “the LORD said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”

The name of the Lord is Jesus Christ.  There is no other name by which man may be saved.  He has gone before us, to the cross in our place.  Christ is with us now, as the Holy Spirit.  The Lord has not forsaken us, He forsook His Son, pouring out Holy wrath on the spotless Lamb.  In this way, He has made a people for Himself.  His peace, the peace bought by the blood of Christ is with us by faith.  In Christ there is no fear, we shall never die.

God is the protector of faith.  Our greatest need was a savior, and “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:32)

Romans 8:31-38 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Grace and Peace,
Adam