The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8
“It is God’s business, and not ours, to care for what we have… God is able to protect what we possess. We can trust Him. Does that mean that we should never take the keys out of the car or lock the door? Of course not. But we know that the lock on the door is not what protects the house. It is only common sense to take normal precautions, but if we believe that precaution itself protects us and our goods, we will be riddled with anxiety. There simply is no such thing as “burglar proof” precaution. Obviously, these matters are not restricted to possessions but include such things as our reputation and our employment. Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these (and all) things.”
Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 88-89.
Think about it. The call for us to love God and love our neighbor finds deep roots in the profound truth that God cares more about protecting us, than we do, and we can trust Him with our lives and possessions.
Nothing happens to us that He does not allow. Nothing can thwart His plans. Nothing, as Foster rightly notes is “burglar proof” as sometimes God allows us to experience losses for bigger purposes we may not understand.
His commands to live, give, serve, and love generously are based on His matchless and abundant love for us. We can rest in His protection and trust in His unfailing love. But do we live like we believe this?
Ask the Holy Spirit this question. What needs to change in my life to show I trust in God’s protection for me?