How can we best protect ourselves?

After the horror of the recent mass murders at Virginia Tech, many suggestions have been put forth as to how such a tragedy could have been prevented or at least minimized.

Some advocate more coordinated efforts to locate and remove emotionally unstable individuals. Others would tighten gun control laws. Still others would require all citizens deemed mentally competent to arm themselves and be ready to defend themselves and their fellow citizens in case of trouble. Each of these approaches have obvious fatal flaws. No man-devised response can be trusted to stop all minds bent on committing murder and mayhem.

There is a solution, however, found in the pages of the Bible, which does not get the respect that it should. That solution is to sincerely turn to God for protection in our daily lives.

When confronted by a mob, Jesus revealed something that every follower of His should be aware of. One of His disciples had pulled out a sword to defend Christ, but Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs. Everyone who uses a sword will die with a sword. Do you not think that I can pray to My Father? At once He would send Me more than 70,000 angels" (Matthew 26:52-53, New Life Version).

Elisha the prophet was protected by just such an angelic host when the Syrian army had surrounded his home and city. His servant saw the invading enemy forces and was afraid. "And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' So he answered, 'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' …Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:15-17).

The Bible shows God's protecting angels to be so powerful that even just one can defend against the meanest army on earth. In ancient times the king of Assyria had surrounded Jerusalem with a mighty army, but "it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses – all dead" (2 Kings 19: 35).

God can protect His people. Not only a nation, but individual believers living in a sinful nation can call on God for protection. Evil king Herod threw the Apostle Peter into prison, but the church prayed for his release. "Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, 'Arise quickly!' And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, 'Gird yourself and tie on your sandals'; and so he did. And he said to him, 'Put on your garment and follow me.' … When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, 'Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people'" (Acts 12:7-11).

If we, as a nation, would turn to God, our nation would be protected. If we, as individuals, turn to God, we can (according to His will) receive His protection. At times God does allow calamities to come upon the righteous, but He does so for our growth. (Romans 8:28, James 1:2-4, I Peter 4:12-13) God has plenty of holy angels to do the job, but how many citizens in today's society really avail themselves of God's supernatural protection?

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