There is a scene in Saving
Private Ryan in which two of the soldiers are talking about a third who
constantly reads and quotes the Bible.
They recognized that many Germans were Christians, and asked a question,
lampooning Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who the heck’s on their side?”
That’s something to wonder about. Is God for us? Is He with us? Is He on our side?
There are two answers to this question.
On the one hand, we are confident by faith that God is
for us. The birth of Jesus, His death
and resurrection, and His promise to return are all indications of God’s
intentions toward us. He loves us,
forgives us, and claims us as His own.
We are marked by His Name in Baptism.
We belong to Him, and He will never leave us or forsake us.
On the other hand, we can say that asking if God is for
us is really the wrong question. Across
history, many peole have claimed the mantle of God’s approval for a myriad of
causes. Politically speaking people
sometimes claim that, “God is on our side.”
Just recently in my community a member of the local clergy opined on a
ballot initiative that God was on her side.
However, as a fellow clergyman, I don’t share her opinion about this
political issue. Does this mean that God
is not on my side?
What if the issue – politically speaking – is not if God
is on our side, but if we are following His ways?
God said to the Israelites, “. . . you shall not bow down
to [the Canaanites’] gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall
utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the Lord your God, and he
will bless your bread and water, and I will take sickness away from among
you.” They lived in a special
relationship with God, but God’s word to them was, “. . . if you carefully obey
[God’s angel’s] voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your
enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.”
(emphasis added)
As a people, the Israelites were to live according to the
Laws God gave, and God would protect them in a special way. While it is true that God blesses people who
worship Him and trust in Jesus for their salvation, this special protection has
not been promised to any country that exists today. Indeed, God’s kingdom is now seen in the
church, not in any particular nation.
Furthermore, those who believe in Jesus are a new spiritual Israel,
God’s people to serve Him.
As we live in God’s promises we receive God’s protection. It may not happen in the way we expect. Christians suffer and die, too. Indeed, we do well to remember that eleven of
the Twelve Apostles died the death of martyrs, as did Paul, the Apostle to the
Gentiles. But God protects us from death
is a way that no one else can. As our
bodies die we live on in His presence.
We look ahead to the day of resurrection when the grave will be utterly
destroyed and we will live in glorified body.
When we pray, “deliver us from evil,” in the Lord’s
Prayer, we pray for God’s protection of both body and soul. Make no mistake. God hears and answers that prayer. He is an enemy to our enemies – sin, death and
the Devil – and He has defeated them in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Father in Heaven,
Thank you for making me Your own. Bless
my country with leaders who will follow your ways, and give me courage to live
faithfully in Jesus no matter what my nation does. Amen.
Comments