Articles
God Guards
Think of a time where you feel at your utmost level of safety, comfort, and peace. This may be a memory, a location, when you’re with a person, during an event, etc. How many different things did you list till you thought of praying or some other form of worship that helps you abide in God?
It is very easy and understandable for us to think of such temporary and physical things that provide us with warm feelings. But the Lord our God is eternal, and the comfort and peace that He provides is the same. We will find ourselves feeling safe and at peace more often when we choose to lean on Him.
When we talk about any choice we have in life, it comes with the understanding that people are not perfect and are going to have times when they make the wrong choice. But we must be diligent to not let this become our excuse to do things that cause us to sin. Guarding, in fact, works two ways. As an example, sheep are protected by the pen they are housed in, but a pen can be broken into. Because of this, a farmer will also put a dog or a llama in with the sheep to protect them. God does this for us by means of the church and the Holy Spirit. The church guards us by surrounding ourselves with fellow believers that encourage us to abide with God and combat sin. When we get baptized, we become temples for God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guards us from within our hearts. It helps us put our inward focus on God so that we better our relationship with Him.
Jesus willingly went to the cross and died as mankind’s sacrificial lamb so that everyone has to opportunity to have a relationship with God and eternally be protected under God’s wing (Psalm 91). Jesus’s blood opened the door, but ultimately it is up to us to put the work in and walk through it. Hence, the work does not stop after baptism. In order to be saved by our faith, we must be vigilant with God against sin, we must repent against sin with actions and not just our words, we must try to trust Him instead of test Him, we must confess Him, and so on.
Having a faith that saves is so much more than being labeled as a Christian and having a Bible. You are going to get knocked down and make mistakes. But choosing who you will lean on in tough times, how you will be lifted during those times, and what will help you from repeating the same mistakes will speak louder than words. Throughout this week, ask these questions to yourself: What does my faith look like right now? What does a strong faith to me look like? And, what can I do to have that strong faith?
Inspired by: Psalm 91; 1 Peter 1:3-9, 18-19, 23; 1 Peter 3:4, 21; 2 Timothy 1:8-14; Matthew 4:5-7; James 1:2-3; Acts 3:19; Acts 8:36-37; Acts 16:14; 1 John 2:4-6
