“Twenty-four-hour news—all day, every day.” From embattled presidents to impoverished nations, lost children to lost souls, overwhelming national debts to overpowering world crises, everywhere we turn the news assaults us with stories of death and destruction. Television announcers proclaim them. Radio DJs blast them. Our smartphones light up with them. And the watercoolers at our jobs spread them. If we’re not paying attention, we can begin to believe that all hope is lost, that we will lose this battle called life, and that there is no hope.
But stop.
Is that the truth?
Is that our truth?
No, our truth reminds us that we serve a great God. We serve “the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end…. the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One” (Revelation 1:8). He is the One who created this world and everyone in it. While the enemy may try to pervert and destroy it, we can rest in the truth that our God is bigger than the news coverage, has already overcome death, and is greater than any destruction.
In Him, we can find safety. We can say with confidence: “The Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!” (Psalm 91:2, AMPC).
God Offers Life
After reading that verse, we must ask ourselves: “Do we confidently trust the Lord?”
Do we trust that He can and will protect us from calamity? Do we know that He is with us in the midst of it? Or have we subconsciously given in to the belief that either He caused the destruction or doesn’t care that we are living through it?
A lot of well-meaning Christians believe that God brings about death and destruction to teach us lessons. But that statement is contrary to what the Bible tells us. God doesn’t teach His people through destruction. No, instead, He has given us His Word. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” If we will allow it to, the Word will instruct and correct us.
And to say that God is glorified through death and destruction would be to say that God uses the same tactics as the enemy. First Peter 5:8 says this about the enemy: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” And in John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” God’s ways have nothing in common with Satan’s. God promises a rich and satisfying life— not loss, death and destruction.
God Offers Refuge
If loss, death and destruction come from Satan, then isn’t our God big enough to overcome those tactics? Of course, He is.
We can be like the man in Psalm 91 who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. God is big enough to cover each of us if we’ll come to Him. He can keep us surrounded by His goodness, so that wherever we are, we can say like David: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence” (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
Now, you might think, Yes, but that was David. He was a man after God’s own heart. I can’t be like him!
Consider all that David endured. He had to fight a lion and a bear while watching his father’s sheep. He had to defeat Goliath, a giant and an experienced warrior. He had to survive Saul’s attacks and lead his people to multiple victories. These weren’t simply nice stories; they were real life. He endured and overcame violence again and again without fear, even writing: “Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. He makes the nations submit to me” (Psalm 144:1-2).
David had faith that God would be faithful. Even in the midst of difficulty, war and uncertainty, David trusted—or had faith in—God. And guess what? God faithfully protected him.
Similarly, the Lord will be just as faithful to protect us if we will follow Him. If we will study His Word, obey it, and listen to the Holy Spirit, then we will enjoy the refuge of God. Obedience like this isn’t a one-time thing. It is a lifestyle that requires us to be so committed to the Lord and His Word that fear doesn’t gain any place in our lives. It means that we become so convinced of God’s protection, love and goodness that we can’t help but think about His Word, talk about His Word, and filter everything in our lives through His Word.
We don’t have to give in to the fear that is perpetuated through media reports. Instead, we can trust our heavenly Father and His Word to provide the protection we need. When we nourish our lives with His Word and are obedient, we can rest knowing that God will be faithful to us. We can trust Him because He has said, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16).
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