Psalm 46:1-2 ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;’
DAILY READING; Galatians 1; Jeremiah 47-48; Psalm 142
John G. Paton was a Scottish missionary who did a remarkable work among the cannibals on the New Hebrides Islands. However, his work among these natives was constantly filled with danger as he often faced attempts at his life.
One New Year’s night, John Paton was visited by another missionary couple, the Johnstons. That night they spent time in worshiping God. After the worship, the Johnsons retired to their own cabin, which was only a few yards off.
However, few minutes later, Mr. Johnston quickly came back to inform John Paton that two native men with painted faces were standing just outside his window armed with huge clubs.
Going out, John Paton at once confronted these night visitors, and asked them what they wanted.
“Medicine for a sick boy,” they replied. He told them to come in and get it, but their evident unwillingness to come into the light of the room, made him suspect that they had some murderous intention. As he stepped, along with Mr. Johnston, into the house, the two men followed them inside. John Paton quietly brought out the medicine while keeping a watchful eye on the two men.
When he came forward with the medicine, he noticed that instead of taking it, the men tightened their grasp on their clubs.
At that moment Mr. Johnston stooped down to lift a little kitten that was trying to run out of the door. Seizing the opportunity, instantly one of the savages leaped forward and aimed a blow at his head. But Mr. Johnson was able to quickly dodge the blow. As Paton sprang in between his friend and the savages, the two men raised their stone clubs in the air to strike him down.
But Paton’s two dogs that were standing nearby, immediately sprang at the men, furiously clawing at their faces. Though one of the dogs was badly hurt, the murder attempt was foiled, and the two men took to their heels, running out through the door.
Again God’s Presence had delivered Paton and his missionary friends from harm.
Despite the many dangers of preaching the Gospel among these cannibal tribes, through God’s protection, John Paton served for many years in their midst, untill most of them received Christ and their lives became transformed.
Just as John Paton had lived among a savage tribe, looking at the happenings in the world today, it does sometimes feel as if we are living among savages.
We live in a world where a person can be beheaded for simply being a Christian and disheartening reports of savagery fill the news daily. These things indeed reveal the desperate wickedness in the hearts of men. Worrisome also is the fact that some of these perpetrators of evil are people who are freely moving about in the society. Some of them we may even pass on the streets, marketplaces, workplaces and other public places, never knowing the darkness contained in their hearts.
In such a world filled with fears and dangers of every kind, it’s comforting to know that we can always count on God’s protection. As believers we are guaranteed divine security because of God’s Presence.
Psalm 46:1 says ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’
God’s Presence provides a force-field of protection that makes us inaccessible to evil.
As we trust in Him, He encircles, encompasses, covers and shields us with His power.
Knowing that God is with us makes us not to fear no matter the happenings in the world. Indeed God’s Presence ensures no evil survives around us.
Psalm 9:3 says ‘When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.’
Though we may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall indeed fear no evil, because God is with us.
God’s Presence with Jesus was what made demons to scream at His appearance and also led to the mighty signs and wonders in His ministry.
Acts 10:38 says ‘Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’
Indeed today, our ability to overcome the forces of evil is ensuring that God is with us. When we carry God’s Presence, evil will see us and flee, because evil can never stand where God abides.
Certainly, God’s Presence is our unbeatable asset in the journey of life.
Having come to the end of July today let us genuinely praise God for His Presence that has kept us and brought us thus far. And as we prepare to enter the new month of August let us endeavor to go even deeper into God’s Presence by committing to spending quality time in studying the Word, prayers, and worship.
Definitely, the time we wait on God is worth the weight because it is our guaranteed seal of divine security in the world today.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to maintain Your Presence through doing those things that please You. Please grant me the grace to study Your Word, to pray and to praise You constantly so that I can be assured of Your divine security at all times in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
When God places His hand upon a man in life nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. WORDBITE 222