Peace in God: Our Protector
The shepherd’s rod is a protection from both the outside predators and the inward stubbornness of sheep. Likewise, God is our Protector from enemies and our own disobedience, too. God’s promise to Isaiah is reassurance for us in this: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Just as the rod was used as an extension of the shepherd’s right hand, God comforts His children with this promise: He will protect us with His righteous right hand too.
Throughout Scripture, we see God protecting His people. In Genesis, God protected Adam and Eve by guarding the way to the Tree of Life so that they could not eat that fruit and live in that sinful state forever. At the end of Genesis, God protected Joseph after he had been sold into slavery and elevated him to 2nd in command over all the storehouses of Egypt. In the book of Exodus, God protected Moses’ life when his mother placed him in a basket in the Nile River. Later in Exodus, we marvel at God’s protection as Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea on dry ground and away from the Egyptian army. In 1 & 2 Samuel, we see God protect King David when Saul was planning to kill him. In Daniel, we see God’s protection of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego in the fiery furnace. In the book of Ruth, God protected two widows through a kinsman redeemer. In every book of the Bible, you can see God’s hand of protection in some way or another.
Of all these biblical examples, perhaps my favorite story of God’s protection is found in the book of Esther. After Queen Vashti upsets her husband, there is a decree that all young girls be brought to the King’s palace. From these virgins, he would choose a new Queen. A young Jewish girl, by the name of Hadassah, enters the King’s harem. For twelve months, she was given beauty treatments and after her one night with the King, she wins his favor and is made Queen Esther. However, the King’s chief minister, Haman, conjures up an evil plan to annihilate all of the Jewish people. It is then that Queen Esther is encouraged to speak to the King. Her cousin Mordecai’s famous words challenged her: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14).
Here we see God’s hand of protection twice! First, she could have been killed for coming to the King unsolicited. However, she is willing to die as she intercedes for her people. She says in Esther 4:16: “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Yet, God protected her and gave her favor to speak to her husband. Second, as Queen Esther reveals Haman’s evil plan, God protected His chosen people. She says, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated” (Esther 7:3-4). And he grants her request! The King allows the Jews to assemble and fight back on the day they were to be annihilated. God protected the entire Jewish race, and they still celebrate this protection every year with the Feast of Purim!
God is our Protector indeed. My Nana always quoted Psalm 121. She was a tiny 4’11” woman who was married to an alcoholic. She raised her five sons by herself, as her husband would often be out in bars drinking after work. She pawned much of her jewelry just to make ends meet. It wasn’t until I was reading her favorite Psalm recently that I realized how many times God’s protection is mentioned in these few verses. Maybe that’s why she clung to these words so much. I have italicized them here for emphasis:
“I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever” (Psalm 121).
How beautiful are those words! God is our Helper and Protector. He does not sleep or slumber. He never leaves His throne. He stays with us, right by our side. Like a shepherd, He is with us day and night. He protects our very lives. He keeps us from harm. He protects our ways, both now and forever. Praise be to our Good Shepherd!
Friend, can you see now why there is peace in His protection? We can have lives of overflowing peace knowing that our Shepherd is with us. His rod is an extension of his right arm and is our comfort. With His rod, He protects us from enemies and outside predators. Just like David killed the lions and the bears, our God protects us from Satan and the false teachers around us. God also protects us from our own disobedience! He disciplines us and binds us, so that we will walk closer to Him. He is a good, good Shepherd.
We can echo the words found in Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Did you notice all of those “my” pronouns? David knew firsthand the protection of His Shepherd, and He is our Shepherd too. His rod does comfort me, and there is so much peace from His protection!
This excerpt is from Overflowing Peace: What God Says About a Peace-Filled Life by author Tara Dew published by B&H Publishing.