Can You See the Protection, the Provision, and the Promise of God?
By: Kristin Van Tilburg
Tags: Church, Christianity

Will You Accept the Key He Is Offering? Photo by CMDR Shane on Unsplash

Can You See the Protection, the Provision, and the Promise of God?

He’s Knocking on Your Door. Will You Let Him In?

Do you feel safe and secure in the midst of this crazy, disrupted, chaotic world we are living in?

Do you live in the confidence that all your needs are met?

Do you feel alone or do you feel His presence walking the path with you in each moment?

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. — Joshua 1:5

Faith is a choice.

And so is doubt.

God has really made His promises very clear.

There is nothing unclear about God’s promise: “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Webster’s Dictionary defines “never” as:

Not ever Not at any time Not under any condition

There can be no ambiguity there.

This is one expression of God’s unconditional LOVE for you, no matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what you have done, no matter what you believe.

You get to choose whether to receive that promise or not.

God does not force anyone into relationship with him. But he will be there, waiting patiently, walking beside you on the path even if you choose to ignore him, or doubt his presence. No worries. God doesn’t mind waiting. He has infinite patience.

God will provide for you.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:25–34)

It is easy to doubt this. Most people can’t sit on a park bench and wait for God to show up with lunch. But actually, stranger things have happened.

I once read a book called The Peace Pilgrim. It was written by a woman who decided to cast her fate totally on God. She left behind her entire life and started walking, and walked for 28 years. Hear more about her remarkable journey of faith here:

In her book, Peace Pilgrim told of walking along a river bank one cold rainy night. She was wet and shivering, and wishing she had a blanket and a dry place to sleep that night. She walked on through the night, coming finally to a bridge, and under the bridge was a pillow and blanket and a large cardboard box. She spent a peaceful and relatively comfortable night under that bridge.

Do you want to explain this occurrence as a coincidence? The Peace Pilgrim saw it differently. Her needs were met and met abundantly.

Granted, her choice to walk the world in faith is not a choice many of us would care to make, or are called to make. It is none-the-less fascinating to read her account of her journey and bask in her total confidence that God would meet her needs.

Could you take even a small step in that direction and accept God’s provision for your life?

God will protect you.

One of the most beautiful statements of God’s willingness to protect us was written by King David in Psalm 23. Here is the Japanese version, which might be a little different from what your Bible says, but is powerful in its own way.

The Lord is my pace setter, I shall not rush.

He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals.

He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity.

He leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of mind, and his guidance is peace.

Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day, I will not fret, for his presence is here.

His timelessness, His all-importance will keep me in balance.

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity, by anointing my mind with his oils of tranquility.

My cup of joyous energy overflows; surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours.

For I shall walk in the pace of my Lord, and dwell in His house forever.

We are the ones who choose doubt, fear and worry.

As much as it may seem that circumstances “cause” us to feel these feelings, the truth is these feels are the product of our own thoughts in reaction to circumstances.

Without conscious thought work, it is easy to fall into these emotional states. The world is uncertain. It is a difficult place, full of challenges and lessons.

Our brains are wired to focus on survival and avoid pain. We have to notice this and substitute thoughts of faith, accepting God’s promise, protection and provision.

With practice we can choose thoughts that offer us a much more joyful journey through the hills and valleys of life.

Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church (http://elevationchurch.org/)

sums it up so nicely in one minute: