Unlimited Protection?
Opening Prayer
God of the Present, You are with me now, Your love is here now. You love me, surround me and care for me now! I love You, Lord.
Read PSALM 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Rom. 8:35). Life has its ups and downs and this verse can be a centering and stabilizing force in our lives.
Think Further
Psalm 91 expresses the psalmist’s assurance in God’s total protection. Is this realistic in today’s world of suicide bombers and gunmen, increased violence and displacement? A world where you can get struck by cancer or other deadly illness and where job security is low amidst economic turmoil? Will God really protect us from all possible harm if we
regularly ask? Perhaps we should remind ourselves that the psalms are primarily intended to help us to express ourselves to God and to speak faithfully about him rather than to articulate doctrine (G. Fee and D. Stuart).
The New Testament is like a lens through which we read the Old Testament more clearly. Today’s psalm is an example. This is not an iron-clad guarantee that nothing will happen to us if we regularly pray this psalm. Matthew 4:6,7 tells us that when the devil tries to trip Jesus up, he uses verses 11 and 12 of this psalm, but Jesus replies that we should not put God to the test.
In a sense, Romans 8:38,39 is just as sweeping a promise as Psalm 91, in spite of the fact that the preceding verses, 35–37, acknowledge the reality of suffering and threat (Derek Kidner). We can trust that God is always with us, even if we go through harrowing experiences. We can trust God that no one can snatch us out of his hands (John 10:28,29). We can trust God that our destiny is secure. Turning to the end of the Bible, the message of Revelation is simple but profound: Jesus wins! In him we trust. He is the best life insurance.
Apply
Read Romans 8:18–39 and Revelation 21:1–5. God has promised to make everything new! Until then, we can be assured of God’s presence with us through the Holy Spirit, who prays for us when we cannot. What does this truth mean to you?
Closing prayer
I trust You, Lord. You are my refuge and fortress. My strength is reinforced with the assurance that You will be with me in the troubles of life. Thank You, Lord.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.