Year 5, Day 87: 2 Corinthians 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Protection

• Protection: In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray that God might deliver us from evil – even the Evil One.  Sometimes we need God’s protection from the sin around us.  Sometimes we need protection from the sinful people around us.  Other times we need protection from the sin that lies within ourselves. In any case, Jesus’ point is clear.  We need protection from the Father to make it through each and every day.

Today I looked up the quote that Paul gives to us in 2 Corinthians 4:13.  He says, “I believe and so I spoke.”  I was unfamiliar with the quote, so I looked it up.  It comes from Psalm 116:10.  It is in this same Psalm that we find the verse, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”  Psalm 116 is all about the glory of the Lord and how even in our persecution the Lord is righteous.

In this quote, Paul gives us a simple message.  Persecution will come upon the people of the Lord.  It is a matter of course for us.  Following God will not give us an easy life in this world.

What is important is what we do in our moment of persecution.  Do we turn on the Lord and curse Him?  Do we lose faith and walk away?  Or do we call out to the Lord in the midst of our persecution knowing that God will hear us and answer us?  Do we call out to God in the midst of our persecution believing that God will bring us through it?  This is why Paul says, “I believe, and so I spoke.”  This is why Psalm 116:10 says, “I believed, even when I spoke: ‘I am greatly afflicted.’”  For Paul and for the Psalmist, persecution is only a prelude to greater belief.  We call to God out of our persecution because we believe.  We call out in faith and confidence because we believe God can protect us.

<><