That’s a great verse Wabi, but the protection that’s promised? What about the innocent, the devout and born again that are murdered, tortured, raped etc? If Psalms 23 were true, no Christians/believers would ever have violence visited upon them, and we all know that’s simply not the reality.
This is a good question and there are lots of answers but I’d say this.
Today we are fortunate to live in an unprecedented time of peace & prosperity but historically people have suffered greatly enough that the promise of heavenly rest has offered hope.
For example Stephen, the Church’s first recorded martyr, after preaching an amazing sermon to the murderous Pharisees in Acts 6. They were so moved that he is recorded as having said that he saw Christ seated at the right hand of God as he was being stoned to death. Christ seated position meant His work was done; His position at God’s right hand meant that His work had pleased the Father. That was work Stephen knew to have been on his behalf, and it gave him hope as he died a brutal and heinous death at the hands of evil men.
My life is so unbelievably amazing today I am tempted to think this is as good as it will get. I have to remember to be grateful for this time and prepare my kids for a time when this won’t be the case. I hope they’ll remember that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of the reality of things not seen.
