Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Protection from Evil

Scripture Verse that Caught My Attention Today: John 17:15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.

Observation: It’s interesting that Jesus didn’t ask that his disciples be taken out of the world that hates them, but simply protected from the evil one.

Application: I suppose all of us would prefer to be liked and appreciated for all that we have to offer in this world. We are not all liked, however. In fact, chances are good that each of us has someone, if not a whole host of people, who find us to be unlikeable. They might even hate us.

Sometimes it’s just a misunderstanding. Sometimes it has more to do with their own personal issues than with us. Sometimes we are just a victim of circumstance—being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But there are also times when we are in the wrong. There are times when our fallible humanity shines through. Through Christ we may be redeemed, but that doesn’t make us perfect—at least not while we are still in this world.

And while we are in this world there will be times when, deservedly or undeservedly, we will be the focus of hate from one corner or another. Such circumstances are not particularly pleasant, especially in cases where we ourselves feel we’ve been wronged in one way or another. Interestingly, Jesus didn’t pray that we would be spared from such things. He simply prayed that we might be protected from the evil one. Apparently that’s the only protection we truly need.

Prayer: Lord, help us to become one with you and you with us. In that way no evil can ultimately befall us, even though life itself might at times be hard. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(readings today included: Jeremiah 18-20, Psalm 93, and John 17)

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