When God Protects His People
I mentioned yesterday that Garlock and a team of men from the mission camp he was staying in went to a neighbouring town to try rescue a young girl. Eventually they managed to get her out of this neighbouring tribe but they were chased. They managed to escape to another tribal village where the chief welcomed them and put them up in a little hut.
But he writes that at about midnight he was awakened by the sound of beating drums and some blood curdling screams. And as he looked out he saw a mass of men coming through the gates of the village, screaming “Where is the white man? We're going to kill him or burn this town to the ground!”
Of course this terrified everybody and even his companion from that country John Yidda said he had never seen such a wild group.
And so they did the only thing they could think of doing - which was to pray. They poured out their hearts to God. Garlock said he remembers asking God to forgive him, thinking that he was probably going to die that night, and appealed to God to save them so that they could continue the work they were doing.
Divine Intervention's Power
And then he said a scripture came to him from Psalm 34:7 that says “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them.”
And so he said, ,emboldened he walked out straight towards the crowd. And the whole mob rushed forward as soon as they saw him - came at him with their drawn knives shouting “Kill him!” And he said just as they got as close as they could he closed his eyes and committed himself to God and just shouted the name Jesus over and over.
And suddenly there was a death like stillness. All the drums stopped, the yelling stopped. The silence just seemed palpable.
So he said he opened his eyes and all these men were standing with their weapons raised but frozen in their tracks, motionless, without a sound. And slowly they all started to back away into a corner until one of them came and fell at his feet and began to plead with him to have mercy on him and his men. And he said “We see that your God fights for you! Please forgive us.”
Now what happened there? He is convinced that it was God - that it was Jesus the angel of the Lord standing there, that these men looked up and saw him and saved him because he still had work for him to do!
And it reminds me of something similar I experienced once where I thought I was in trouble but the guys who were coming towards us all seemed to freeze and turn around and go away before they could do the harm they seemed to want to do. I've always thought that they saw something that I couldn't see.
Divine Protection's Mystery
There are times when God comes and protects his people in a direct way like this, and when he does we must praise him and thank him and marvel at him because he's a great wonderful caring, protective God.
And maybe you're thinking yes but what about those who didn't get protected? What about those who don't get healed and those who aren't protected from tragedies? Did God not want them? Well it's a mystery why God sometimes protects and sometimes doesn't, but nonetheless when he does he's got his reasons. And Garlock did so much good work after that that I'm sure God needed him there for a little bit longer.
Praise God who protects his people and delivers those when he has a plan for them.
