One of the truths of living as a follower of Christ is that not everyone will welcome us with open arms. When Jesus prayed for us, part of His prayer to the Father was a request for our safety.
11 Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.
John 17:11–12 (CEV)
These verses tell us that we will have enemies. When we are serving the Lord, we will face opposition. He may lead us to places that don't seem safe.
One of the great pleasures of my life was traveling to Kenya, Africa, to minister with missionary Pamela Smith. She was 70 years old and living in this foreign land, working to proclaim the Gospel. The stories she told me of things that happened to her while living there made me wonder about her safety. The truth is that she's not safe by most people's standards, but that doesn't stop her. Why? Because the Gospel is worth the risk.
Jesus understood that the Gospel is going to take us to places where in the natural, we might not be safe. So we need to power of God to keep us safe because only God can keep us safe.
5 You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do.
1 Peter 1:5 (CEV)
We trust in God for protection. But you might be asking, "what about those killed while doing God's work? Did He protect them?".
Now, in this life, we know that the enemy will attack. We’ve read stories and seen new reports about Christians being hurt because of their faith. But, just because the enemy can harm the body does not mean that God’s power is weak.
28 and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:28
Through Christ, we have eternal life! No person can take that away. Jesus was praying that prayer of protection, knowing the work He was about to do on the Cross would forever keep us safe!
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