Jesus cured all of them. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench."
(Excerpted from Matthew 12:15-20, the Amplified Bible)
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Jesus cured all of them. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench." (Excerpted from Matthew 12:15-20, the Amplified Bible)
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Reflections:
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Divine protection: a promise or a pipe dream?
Many people believe that if we live good lives, God will always bless and protect us. A number of Bible verses support this view:
· "Surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God" (Ecclesiastes 8:12 KJV). · "Good people obtain favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 12:2 TNIV). · "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10 NIV). · Jesus promised, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7). · "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). · Because Abraham lived a godly life, God protected him, gave him wealth and numerous descendants, and promised the land of Canaan for them all to live in (see Genesis 12-22). · Centuries later, God promised the nation of Israel that He would show mercy "unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments" (Deuteronomy 5:10 KJV). · The Law that God gave through Moses instructed, "Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do" (Deuteronomy 29:9 NIV). · Psalm 91 begins, "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty," and ends by saying, "With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation" (TNIV). Layered in between are wonderful promises of protection from pestilence, plague, harm, terror, weapons, wild animals, punishment, disaster, and death. Millions of Christians have memorized the entire psalm for comfort and courage in difficult times.
Yet sound principles of biblical interpretation require that we look at what the entire Bible has to say on the subject, even those verses that seem at first to contradict the promises of protection. · Hebrews 11:35-39 talks about righteous saints who suffered all sorts of horrors. Although they were faithful, "yet none of them received what had been promised" (verse 39 NIV). · John the Baptist was unjustly incarcerated, never got out of prison alive, and even in death received no respect. To fulfill the wishes of a dancing girl and her scheming mother, his head was paraded on a platter through Herod’s drunken court. · While active in missionary service, the apostle Paul was imprisoned, whipped, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and adrift on the open sea. He faced dangers from rivers, bandits, foreigners, enemies, and his own people. He went without sleep, food, warmth, and clothing (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).
We at Hope for Wounded Christians believe in the inerrancy of Scripture and that God's Word does not contradict itself. Yet how can we reconcile God's promises of protection with all the suffering that people have endured since the beginning of time? We don't pretend to have all the answers, but we can look more closely at the subject. Read other articles on this site for the discussion, and check back regularly for more.
Prayer: Almighty God, help me understand Your ways, encourage me when I lose hope, and reveal to me the wonderful purpose You have for my life. Please grant me Your mercy and comfort in my suffering. I am grateful that You haven’t forgotten or abandoned me--nor will You ever do so. Amen
© 2007-2009 by Hope for Wounded Christians |
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Copyright © 2007-2009
Hope for Wounded Christians |