We hear countless testimonies of how God protected people from time to time. There are also testimonies about how God allowed certain things to happen and those events later change their lives. Does God protect people randomly or are there ways one can secure God’s protection?
The scripture teaches us that God is faithful throughout the ages and the plan for His creation are laid plain to mankind. Isaiah 46:10 I declare the end from the beginning. Certain events happened, so that God’s plan could be unfolded in time. You can see God protected the generations of Abram in accordance to His promise to him for example.
We are going to look at personal protection which the scriptures do have promises for those who walk in obedience to Him. Life is a complex journey and learning about personal protection does not always guarantee a smooth sailing journey but one with God even if we go through the storms.
In Genesis 20, Abimelech King of Gerar took Abraham’s wife Sarah without knowing she was Abraham’s wife. God came to him in a dream and warned Abimelech that he was in danger of losing his life because he took someone’s wife. Abimelech knew he done wrong because he did not know Sarah was Abraham’s wife. He told the Lord that what he did with the integrity of heart and with innocency of hands. The Lord replied that He knew that and that was why He protected Abimelech from sinning against God.
From this record, we can see that God protects one with integrity of heart and the innocence of hands. This was not an isolated mention of God’s protection. The Psalmist in Psalm 24:3-5 affirmed the same. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” King Abimelech knew he was righteous because he observed both. In Genesis 20:4 he questioned the Lord if He will slay a righteous nation.
But how can sinful man cultivate a integrity and clean hands you may ask? David revealed the secrets of becoming a man after God’s heart in the Psalm he write. We we saw how God protected him again and again until his heart wavered in lust.
His secret was found in Psalm 25:20-21 “O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.”
The secret David revealed were 1. By trusting in God and 2. By spending time with Him. Trusting in God and spending time with Him will bear its fruit in due season. It is not complex and it is achievable by anyone who desire to have a close relationship with God. Both Abimelech and David cultivated them and could hear God speaking to them. Abimelech did not sound surprised when God warned him about the danger of death. He communicated with God and was guided to do the right thing.
May we continue to trust the Lord daily and to wait upon Him for every aspect of our lives so that we may cultivate a heart of integrity and innocency of hands. These are the best assurances of secure God’s protection. Even if circumstances are adverse, we know that God will bring us through them Himself.