Trusts In God As His Protector

Trusts In God As His Protector

A HERO’S TALE

Jeremiah had a rough life. And that’s putting it mildly.

For 40 years, he spoke against his own wicked countrymen in Judah, predicting the nation’s doom if they didn’t repent. You can imagine how much they enjoyed listening to him.

Over the course of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry, God often asked him to do incredibly difficult things, like telling the king of Judah to his face that a Babylonian army would soon conquer him (see Jeremiah 37:17), or loudly condemning the people’s sins while standing at a temple entry gate, where everyone could hear him (see 19:14-15).

Jeremiah’s life was endangered on many occasions. He was accused of being a traitor, beaten multiple times, put in stocks, imprisoned, threatened with death at least twice, and even thrown into a muddy cistern, where he sank into the slime.

Talk about a difficult life! It got so bad that there were times when Jeremiah wished he hadn’t even been born (see Jeremiah 20:14-18).

But through it all, God remained Jeremiah’s great Protector. Before Jeremiah started his ministry, God told him, “Today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land —the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you” (Jeremiah 1:18-19).

Jeremiah’s enemies never prevailed against him. God kept his promise to the very end.

DECODING THE MESSAGE

Trouble will come to you in this life. That’s a guarantee. (Hopefully not as bad as Jeremiah experienced, though!) The question is, what are you going to do when trouble comes? Will you fear and lose faith? Will you rely on your own strength? Or will you trust in God as your great Protector?

A true hero doesn’t try to solve life’s problems on his own. He trusts in a power greater than himself.

God is faithful. He won’t leave you. He loves his children and will be with you regardless of the trouble that comes your way. So trust in him!

BATTLE PLAN

One of the best ways to trust in God’s protection is to pray. Whenever you’re in trouble, cry out to the God who loves and protects you!