Does God protect us from harm?

You say:

I met this man 13 years older than me, I’m 31 he’s 43.  And he let me and my kid’s move in with him and he told me that he wanted to marry and that he would take care of me and that he had all this money and he was stable at his age and I believed him and six months later found out he was lying about everything even his age.

So I’m asking, would God send a liar to be with me?

You ask two questions:

1. Does God protect us from harm?
2. Would God send a liar to be with you?

First question – does God protect us from harm?

God protects his children from harm sometimes, but not at other times.  God uses circumstances to refine the characters of his children.

Examples of God protecting his children from harm:

• When Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian army, God sent his army, unseen, to protect them – 2 Kings 6:17

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

• Psalm 91:1-3

 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  (2)  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  (3)  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

• Psalm 34:6-7

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.  (7)  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

• Psalm 91:14-16

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.  (15)  When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.  (16)  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

These verses show that God delivers us, but not always straight away.   We often experience trouble, but are saved out of it by God.  It is part of life to experience trouble and harm.  Consider the experiences of the apostle Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 :

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one–I am talking like a madman–with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.  (24)  Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.  (25)  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;  (26)  on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  (27)  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

And the sufferings of the son of God:

Mark 10:33:

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.  (34)  And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

Consider also the experiences of some of the faithful, recorded in Hebrew 11:35-40:

Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  (36)  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  (37)  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated–  (38)  of whom the world was not worthy–wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.  (39)  And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,  (40)  since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

But through all these afflictions, God was with them.  They will receive their ultimate deliverance at the resurrection when Jesus returns to earth.  The challenge for us is to remain faithful to God through all our afflictions.  James 1:12:

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Second question – would God send a liar to be with me?

Bad things happening to us, can be the result of various factors.  We know that God tests people.  We know that God puts pressure on people to develop their characters.  But we also know that there are many evil people out there who will take advantage of the naïve.  The book of Proverbs gives us some very good advice.  For example, Proverbs 14:15-16 :

The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.  (16)  One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

Proverbs 22:3:

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

In life, we need to be very careful about our friends and who we become involved with.  God gives us extensive advice in Scripture, which if we follow it, protects us from evil people.  It is very important to become very familiar with this advice by reading daily from God’s word.  It is also very important to pray for God’s guidance before we make any decisions, like making a marriage commitment.

There are two sorts of people – those who love God and those who don’t.  If we sincerely love God, we will be looked after – Romans 8:28:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Those who don’t love God, do not have this blessing.  Proverbs 15:29:

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.