Protected by God?

So, what’s on my mind?

A few friends and I participate in a daily Bible study through an app. Last week, the theme was “Inspirational Historical Events,” and one particular day focused on George Washington. The devotional was titled “The Bulletproof President.” I certainly don’t want to diminish Washington’s legacy or his contribution to what America is today. But one part of the devotional gave me pause.

The writer described an ambush Washington experienced while serving as an officer in the British army. More than 900 of the 1,400 troops were killed. Washington reportedly had four bullet holes in his jacket and had two horses shot out from under him. The devotional then concluded, “He was a Christian man who had faith in God, and God protected him even in the midst of battle.”

Maybe God did protect Washington that day. I certainly believe God can work in our lives in ways we may never fully understand. But what about the more than 900 men who were killed? Were they not people of faith? Did God love them any less? Were they somehow less deserving of God’s protection? This is where I think we need to be careful about how we talk about God’s protection.

We often give God credit when things turn out the way we hoped. We survive an accident, recover from an illness, get the job we wanted, or experience some other blessing, and we say, “God was watching over me.” And maybe God was. But what about when the outcome is different? What about the person who doesn’t survive the accident, or doesn’t recover from the illness, or doesn’t get the job? Does that mean God wasn’t with them? I don’t think so.

One of the things ministry has continued to teach me is that life is rarely that simple. I have seen prayers answered in ways that brought incredible joy, but there are also people whose prayers seemed to go unanswered. I have learned to be less comfortable saying, “God allowed this because…” and more comfortable saying, “God is with us.” God is with us when life goes according to plan, and God is with us when it doesn’t. God is with us in the hospital room, at the graveside, in moments of celebration, and in moments when we don’t understand what is happening.

Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that nothing, not suffering, hardship, life, or death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Perhaps that is a better understanding of God’s protection. Not that God promises to keep every bullet from reaching us, but that we never have to face whatever comes our way alone. That is a faith worth holding onto.

May God hold you,
Rev Chris Hester