God wants no one to be lost. God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4; NIV)
And God wants to protect us comprehensively. In Psalm 91, we find this promise: “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:4; NIV) The problem is only: We have to want it. We must accept what God is offering us. God’s protection for you does not happen on its own, but your active participation is necessary.
Are you trustingly placing yourself under God’s protection?
Psalm 91 (a wonderful Psalm on the comprehensive protection of God for us) begins with the condition that we consciously turn to God and say that we trust our Heavenly Father faithfully: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” (Psalm 91:1-2; NIV)
People do not want God
Jesus speaks about the fact that He so often wanted to protect people — gather them as a hen protects her chicks under her wings: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Jesus in Luke 13:34; NIV)
Jesus puts the sad truth in a nutshell: “You were not willing.” (Luke 13:34).
God respects your free will. You decide whether you want to place yourself under God’s protection or not
We humans are created according to God’s image (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7). And so we have free will. And God would never disregard our free will. If someone does not take the helpfully outstretched hand, then God offers it again and again, but God would never force a will on a person. So great is God’s loving respect for us.
Do you want God’s care and protection? Then tell Him. Every day. Thank Him that He takes such great care care of you.
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