Psalm 91 declares, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” This Psalm boasts of great things for those who trust in God. But some might scoff at this verse. How can God be our shield if Christians experience so much suffering?
This happened to be one of Jim Elliott’s favorite psalms. Elliott was a missionary in the 1950’s to the Aucas in Ecuador, a particularly violent tribe. On January 8th, 1956 Jim and his four friends were killed by the men they had spent six years praying for. So, if Jim was killed, was God really his shelter and shield? If so, what does it mean for God to be our shelter?
Tim Keller offers this explanation: If God is our shield, and we suffer, it must mean he’s using that suffering to shield us from something worse.[1] Ironically, Keller said this in a talk at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City on Monday, September 10th, 2001.
I believe Keller’s right. We must admit that as humans with limited knowledge and wisdom we often don’t know what the greatest harm is to us. Like a child who must trust her parents because she can’t recognize all the dangers around her, we can’t see everything and therefore can’t always know what the greatest danger is to us?
It’s easy for us to think that it’s always best to get what we want. However, the Bible actually warns against having too much of what we want. In Romans chapter one we find that the worst thing God could do is give us everything we want. If you want to see a life abandoned by God look at someone who always gets what they want.
Our almighty God promises to shield us from the greatest harm, which only he knows according to his infinite wisdom. As one commentary put it, “we may not be promised security from suffering, but we are promised security in suffering.”[2]
But what does that look like? What does it mean to have security in danger because of the Lord?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones was pastor of Westminster Chapel in London through WWII. At one Sunday service, during the blitz of London, Lloyd-Jones began his customary pastoral prayer. Shortly after he began praying the sound of a German self-propelled bomb was heard overhead. The bomb began descending , getting louder and louder and seemingly closer and closer to the church where they were gathering. Suddenly there was a deafening and shattering sound. The chapel structure audibly cracked and bits of the ceiling fell from the roof. The bomb had landed a few hundred yards from the church. Everyone jumped up to run. Then after the most brief pause, Lloyd-Jones continued praying as if nothing had happened and everyone sat down again.
A high-ranking officer who was present later said this: “I have seen many things in the trenches in France but I have never seen anything more remarkable than the way that man went on with his prayer as though nothing had happened.”
As the bomb descended toward him, Lloyd-Jones conveyed a fearlessness in the midst of danger and no doubt it was because he knew his almighty God was his shield.
But unlike Lloyd-Jones, Jim Elliot died. We may be tempted to think, “I guess God couldn’t really protect him in the shadow of his wings as Jim thought he would.” But that would be a very nearsighted perspective.
Consider that Jim’s death inspired thousands if not tens of thousands of missionaries. Jim’s goal was to bring the gospel to as many people as possible. But by Jim’s death he indirectly brought the gospel to many more people than he ever could have in his life. Had Elliot been given the choice between dying and millions not hearing the gospel because he didn’t die, I’m confident Elliot would say God shielded him from the worst outcome.
Ultimately, the reason we can run into the shelter of God’s wings of protection is because Christ was cast out for us. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin. He cried out, “My God! Why have you forsaken me?” So we could cry out, “My God! My refuge and my fortress.” If he was willing to do that, why would he ignore our suffering now?
[1] Tim Keller, Evolution and Science (New York City: Sermon, 2001).
[2] D.A. Carson et al., eds., New Bible Commentary, 4th Century ed. edition (Leicester, England ; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: IVP Academic, 1994). 546.
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
