Not long ago I was humming that old hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” and began thinking about the refrain:
Leaning, leaning,Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
As Christians, are we always safe and secure? I would argue that we are indeed always secure but not necessarily “safe.” There are no guarantees in this life for any of us. I have buried too many Christians whose life and death demonstrated just how unsafe this world really is. I cannot get out of my mind the image of those Egyptian Christians in orange jump suits beheaded by Islamic fanatics.
Our security is in Jesus, not necessarily our safety. Nowhere in Scripture will you find Jesus promising his followers safety. Instead he promises a cross and tribulation and there is nothing safe about a cross and tribulation.
Security is not about safety. Bad things, terrible things, are going to happen to us all. But we can still be “of good cheer” because our Lord has overcome sin, death, and the grave.
Even though we live in an unsafe world we can still be secure. In John 16:33, Jesus said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace (security).In this world you will have trouble (lack of safety). But take heart! I have overcome the world”
Security is not the absence of fearful situations, but confidence and courage in the midst of them. We are never safe (necessarily),
but WE ARE LOVED and that love has the power to cast out all fear because it is an eternal love. We are eternally secure in the love of Jesus. I think about that each time I lay down at night and it is one of my first thoughts each morning.
I encourage you to meditate deeply on the words of Romans 8:35-39. These verses remind us of just how secure (not safe) we are in the love of Jesus:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship orpersecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your
sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
The hymn says, “safe and secure from all alarms” (not harm). That’s good theology and very biblical. Security is not about safety. It’s about trust. Trust that no matter what this unsafe world throws at us, we are eternally secure in the love of Jesus.
These are the words carved on the tombstone of our youngest child, Leigh Alexandra. They are taken from her favorite story, THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, by C.S. Lewis:
Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight,At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we will have spring again.
Spring is coming! The eternal love of Jesus guarantees it. Safe and secure from all ALARMS.
Richard Hipps
Good stuff!! Thanks for writing this. It is so reassuring.
Sound theology from our Shepherd. Our Savior understands that we will face obstacles, challenges and disappointments but He promises to walk with us and comfort us if we lean on Him. I am glad I have a God I can praise for the gifts He bestows upon me, but I am more thankful knowing that He is also there extending his comforting arms in times of trouble and despair.
You can lean on Him through all times good and bad, but step one step away from that circle of love and I feel so useless and question myself WHY did you try to do that alone. Just give the problem to Jesus. Trust and obey and He will never leave you, it is promised in Romans 8:35-39. We will all have trials and tribulations of varying degrees.