Word of Encouragement (03/30/2023)

Of Benjamin he said, "The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders." (Deut. 33:12)

Moses proceeds to bless Benjamin. In this benediction, Moses addresses Benjamin as “the beloved of the LORD.” Benjamin was Jacob’s youngest son. Not only that, he was one of the two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, along with Joseph. Jacob favored Joseph above all other sons, which caused great friction between him and his other brothers. After the brothers sold him to the Midianite traders, Benjamin became Jacob’s favorite child—so much so that, when he sent down his sons to Egypt to acquire food, he refused to send Benjamin along because of the danger involved. By addressing Benjamin in this way, Moses may be building on that historical fact.

In this blessing, Moses affirms, “The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety.” This assures us that the LORD protects those whom He loves. Do you believe that? Before we think about our feelings about this assurance, let’s think about the impeccable logic of this statement. If you love someone, don’t you want to protect him from all harm? We may not be able to because we are finite beings, lacking in strength and resources to do so. But it is the instinct of love to want to protect those whom we love. Do you think that it is otherwise with God? Of course not! If God is love, and we love because He first loved us, then this instinct of love to protect our loved ones must come from God and His love. But, unlike our love, God’s love is not weak or lacking in resources. His love is almighty because it is the love of an almighty God. His love is not lacking in resources because it is the love of the Creator of all, who has all things at His disposal. His love is infinitely wise and infinitely compassionate. If you are the Lord’s beloved, God will make sure that you dwell in safety. Isn’t this why He sent His only begotten Son to make that costly sacrifice for our eternal safety?

Whatever your feeling may be about this, it must be anchored in the impeccable logic of this truth. If you can do that, your feeling of safety will be built upon the rock of God’s unchangeable, unbreakable love for you. You will be able to withstand the storms of life.  

But we also need to examine why we may not feel like this is not true for us. You may ask how you can feel safe when the storms of life come right at you and leave undeniable devastation behind them in your life. That is a valid and difficult question. Here is one reason: you may be looking at this from a physical, worldly perspective instead of a spiritual, eternal perspective. The safety God offers us is not from suffering and pain in this world while we live in this fallen world; that is in the life to come in a new heaven and a new earth. The safety He offers to us in this world is not from suffering and pain (which is impossible in this fallen world) but in suffering and pain. We suffer and feel pain but we are not destroyed by it; instead, we experience the presence of Christ in our suffering, which provides us with a sense of peace and joy that no delight in the things of the world can offer us. It is not without sadness and sorrow. But it is a sublime harmony produced by the sufferings of this world and the living hope of heaven.

Let us pray for and bless one another with this benediction so that all of God’s people would experience the safety that God has given to all His beloved!

‍