Come NearSample

Our Protector

By Marquise Cox

PRAYER:

God, thank you for being my protector in times of trouble. Help me experience your presence during hard times.

READING:

Before he was crucified, Jesus prayed these words for his followers:

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:15–17

Consider this thought: Before Jesus died for our sins, he looked up to God and prayed this prayer. He could have prayed many things for his followers. He didn’t ask that God would take them out of the world but that he would protect them in the world. 

Prior to this prayer, Jesus shared these words with his followers:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

We often wish or even pray that God would allow us to be removed from hard things. Isn’t it true that we’d love for God to push the “eject” button so we could be removed from suffering? 

The powerful thing about Jesus’ statement is that God walks with us through hard times, not necessarily removing us from hard times. We don’t have to experience hard times on our own—God is our protector and he is with us. 

Here are two steps we can take when trouble comes:

1. Resist the urge to rush past the season on our own. Our tendency is to hurry and get to the other side of suffering. Jesus’ goal is not to remove us from uncertainty; he wants to walk with us through it. And when he does, his presence and peace will be apparent in our lives. 
2. Allow God’s Word to sanctify us daily. Jesus prayed that God’s Word would sanctify his followers. To sanctify means to set apart for a purpose. God has a purpose for each of us—to make us more like Jesus. This doesn’t happen by our own efforts but by his Spirit at work in and through us. As we remain connected to God and spend time in prayer, reading God’s Word and putting it into practice in our lives, we become more like Jesus. 

REFLECTION:

Do you view God as your protector through difficulties? Are you experiencing his presence and peace?