The Breastplate of Righteousness

by Rocky Fleming

Day 3: Enclosed in God’s Care

“Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left.” St. Patrick

“There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.” – Alan Redpath

As we read the statements above of these two men, we see different words but the same philosophy of trust in Christ.  Although they lived 1,500 years apart, I could see them sharing a friendship.  Even though one man was a Catholic missionary in Ireland and the other a Protestant evangelist in Britain, I believe the love of Christ in their life would have overcome any separation by denomination, nationality, culture, or time period.  This gives me hope for the divisions we have in the Body of Christ today because of denomination, race, culture or any of the things that Satan uses to separate the Body of Christ from each other.  I would love to have known those two guys, for I have come to agree with everything they believed and practiced.

I wish I could have listened to the two men converse.  I’m sure Patrick would have been amazed to hear about the size and shape of the world, and the numerous people groups in it, the medicines, the transportation, the communication and all the technology that had come into being, and even the Holy Scriptures that had been compiled into a New and Old Testament.  I’m sure it would have been a stretch to think that ordinary people other than clerics would be able to read it and understand it.  Alan would be amazed by the history of the island nation he was born to, but especially a first-hand account of what Patrick had to face in Ireland when he took Christianity to a pagan nation.  

Both men would have insights the other did not, and it would help each man as they would see things through another set of eyes.  But after these things were discussed, I believe they would have settled into a long discussion about the timeless and faithful character of God, for it was He who created the unity they had with each other.  I believe Jesus Christ and the redemption He brought to mankind would create a celebration with the two men, as they realized their relationship as brothers.  This would be the greatest thing they had in common.  But lastly, I think they would have gone to the philosophy they both shared, which is the absolute sovereignty of God over their life.  Why do I say this?

Look carefully at both quotes.  Can you see that these men believed absolutely that nothing could get to them unless it went through Jesus Christ first?  Jesus was their shield.  Jesus was all around them, which Patrick said best. There was no place left unguarded by Him.  These men felt completely safe in the sovereignty of God.  This creates a bond between believers.  But it also fans the flame of encouragement when we feel our life is out of control.  Realizing that Sovereign God was still in control would have been a comfort.  I know it is for me.

Some of you might not understand what the sovereignty of God means.  Let me explain.  It means that all authority belongs to Him.  All entities, all beings, whether they are physical or spiritual are under the authority of Jesus; and as a believer in Christ, all powers whether they are physical or spiritual or from nature or man, cosmic or earthly are under His authority when it concerns His child.  Redpath would say that these things couldn’t get to a believer unless God grants it permission, and there will be a reason that God permits it.

Now some would ask, “Why then does God allow bad things to happen to us if we are under His protection?”  There can only be one answer to that question: “Because God has a plan and He asks us to trust Him.”  We can rest assured that what does come at us is not random, and it has our faithful Father’s permission to come.  His plans eventually all work for the good.  We are assured of this.  We can count on it.  God has us enclosed with His love and attention, but like His Son Jesus, we have been given a mission to serve His purposes, and the mission will have tribulations.  But those tribulations will not be wasted.  To give us comfort, Jesus said,

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”   (John 16:33 ESV)

Remember some comforting words when you face trials.  It is a message from God.  It’s a good message to always remember.  Can you hear it? “I’ve Got This”