Living in this dangerous world filled with threats of terrorism, crime and pandemic diseases, we must strive to obtain all of the protection from God that we can muster. We cannot defend ourselves against such ominous threats. And God does not want us to fear.
Tucked away in the book of Ezra 8, I uncovered this passage last night: “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.” When I read Scriptures like this, it reminds me of how important it is to feed my spirit on His Word (READ THE BIBLE!), be obedient and pray.
These words remind us that God’s protection and presence belong to all of us IF we seek Him. Psalm 91 is a favorite passage of Scripture about protection and deliverance. It also reminds us that all forms of protection belong to us IF we “abide in Him". Let’s review the definition of abide. What does it mean for us to abide in God? Abide’s meaning is “to live or reside in a place". We must be residing in prayer, study of the Bible, and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives IF we desire that type of protection. The definition states that abide means “to live”. We must live our lives immersed in the things of God. It does not state that abide means “just to visit once in awhile”. When we draw near to Him, He draws nearer and nearer to us.
The second portion of the Ezra passage cautions us that IF we forsake (to withdraw companionship, protection, or support from somebody, namely God) Him, “His power and wrath are against us”. Ouch. That is a warning that must not be ignored.
Once again, we discover how vital our decisions are to our lives. This is crucial for each individual to grasp. We must choose to serve our God, whole-heartedly, if we are to reap His multitude of rewards, protection and blessings.
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