Robbery and Protection!

Divine protection is always around. We might not always see it...but it is.

I heard a story once about a famous preacher who was riding in a carriage that was traveling down a country road. The carriage was traveling at a high rate of speed and passed a sharp corner without any problems. The pastor saw a wrecked carriage at the bottom of a ravine near the turn. As the carriage left the scene, the other passengers heard the pastor praising God under his breath. They were surprised! What was there to be thankful for? After they asked him, the pastor gave this answer: "I pass by this road everyday, and everyday for years now, the carriage has taken that turn at a fast speed, and all this time I never knew God was keeping me safe, friends. I am thanking God for the protection that he has given me all these times!"

This last few weeks God has allowed me some reminders of His divine protection! About three weeks ago I was coming from the school building on Saturday. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon, and I was just following my normal routine. My family and I do not have a car so we use public transport, which is very safe and almost never has problems. As I was waiting by the roadside, a taxi stopped. It was loaded, but had one seat available, and like normal, I joined the car to continue to the stop that I needed to get to. The fun started once I entered the car. Inside the car were four Ghanaian men. (Understand that I am 6 feet 4 inches tall, and this was a tiny little Tigo car, roughly the size a tin can.) Right after I sat down, the guy in front rammed his seat into my knees. He told me that his seat was having problems and that I needed to help him push it back up for him. (This is one of those really "smart" things that taxi robbers do here. They hope while the person is helping the guy in front, the guy next to the person will steal his wallet.) The nice thing was that they did not know that I spoke Twi! So to make a long story short, after a few really pitiful attempts to take my phone, wallet, and money, (which by God's grace had all been left at home that day), I got out of the car. I left behind four very frustrated thieves and did not have to pay any taxi fee. I will be really honest, I kind of felt sorry for the guys!

Sometimes God protects and nothing is allowed to happen, but this last week the Lord also reminded me that even when the bad does happen, the protection of God is still there.

Gifty is a young college student that our family is very close to. Gifty helps my wife with Sunday School, children's programs, and soul-winning. This Thursday we were waiting at the junction for Gifty. She did not come at her normal time. We tried to call her phone, but no one would answer. Since we had Bible study to go to, we left and figured that she had somehow been detained. After we got to the Bible study area I got a call. It was Gifty, and she told me that she had been robbed. The men had taken her phone, money, and had slapped her and her friend. After robbing them, they drove them to a bushy spot and tied them up with their clothes.

Though Gifty had to face the robbers, she said something that was very true -- God had kept her safe. The men could have abused her, but God kept her safe! She said that she was just praying the whole time! I do not know many criminals that will undress a young woman, tie her up, and will not hurt her. She said the whole time she was praying, and God kept her safe!

So this time I just want to thank God for keeping us safe. Even when bad things happen, He keeps the worst from coming! So Lord, thank you for your protection!