Security Choices

Psalm 91; Luke 16:19-31: 1st Timothy 6:6-19

Central Baptist Church—Lowesville, VA

30 September 2007

Social Security, Homeland Security, and Public Security Officers all exist to engage some aspect of social insecurity. As human beings, we live with uncertainty, whether pertaining to natural resources, economic resources, health concerns, or public safety. Our national economic development has increased the expectations we bring to security issues. We rarely fear going hungry, lacking clothing, or dying of thirst. We have difficulty even recognizing these as truly pressing issues. As our circumstances and expectations have changed, however, we are still not immune to insecurity. Where will we turn for true security choices amid life’s turbulence?

The psalmist spoke from a context of dire insecurity issues. He spoke from a backdrop of war, military raids, and wilderness survival. Security in such a context was not a simple matter of personal skill, strength, courage, or economic resources. These might be aids in one’s survival, but there was a pressing sense that life hung on larger issues beyond one’s control. The psalmist had to choose a foundation for personal security. He chose to focus his security in the care and provision of Yahweh. Amid the pressing uncertainties of life, Yahweh was the only source of true security. He trusted in God’s care and provision, understanding that all of life depended on God’s care.

The psalmist found confidence from Yahweh’s willingness to protect, even amid the destruction faced on the battlefield. He found greater security in God than in tactics, strength, and skill. He reminded all of Israel that Yahweh was their sufficient and their only sufficient refuge. Do we call God our refuge and yet live with insecurity?

How does one trust God amid uncertainty and even desperation? Cancer, famine, drought, war, family squabbles, and loss of employment, do not encourage us to live with an overwhelming sense of security. We sent funds to Watering Malawi back in July, specifically because of life’s uncertainties in a land plagued by drought. Malawi believers chose to trust God to secure their needs. God chose to provide in part through gifts like ours. If God is worthy of our trust regarding eternal security, what about the security questions of daily living? Will we chose to trust God as a sufficient refuge for all our issues of insecurity?

Paul writes Timothy, saying that godly living with contentment is gain and security. Such an idea flies in the face of so much that we hear on a daily basis. Paul says that opting for anything other than godliness and contentment is to choose insecurity as a way of life. It is in our love for and seeking after life’s non-essentials that insecurity grows out of our discontent. The more I have, the more I have to protect. The more I focus my security on the things abound me, the less secure I become. The more concerned I am with retaining the status quo, the less confident I become on God’s carrying me through the uncertainties of living.

The paths of our lives are truly secure only as we pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, gentleness in the faith effort to embrace eternal living. Those with worldly wealth are not to be ensnared by its false security. We are to use it for righteousness, fulfilling God’s purposes for godly living. Responsibility is the price tag that comes with wealth. We are entrusted with God’s riches, not for our benefit alone, but to benefit with world with an understanding of God’s loving provision. We must choose whether to trust our security to the things of life, or the God of life.

John Grisham once spoke of conversing with a Mississippi State Penitentiary guard about the death penalty. The guard asked Grisham whether he thought Jesus would agree with death row procedures. It was the second question that unsettled Grisham. “Whom do you believe, Jesus or the State of Mississippi?”[1] Are God’s ways sufficient parameters for our living? We claim refuge in God. We claim Christ Jesus as Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. If we hold God’s love, care, and provision to be sufficient, we should trust God. If we do not accept God’s answers to life’s insecurities, we should not claim a trust we fail to embrace. Such a claim would simply be a lie. Do our priority values allow us to rest secure in God’s care and provision?

Where do we turn for security to guide us through the uncertain aspects of living? The things we treasure point to the foundation of our security. How secure is that foundation? Can the foundation of our lives really withstand the pressures and uncertainties of life?

Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus is an interesting analysis of security choices. We find two extreme figures in this story—one with everything the world claims will offer security, another with no security besides his name. The importance of that name is lost in most of our translations.

The Aramaic and Hebrew forms of this name mean “God help!” There is more to it, however. “The Name” was a reference to Yahweh, used from Genesis on as a reference to God. The rich man in Jesus’ story has no name at all. He is outside of God’s protection, depending on his own resources and thus cut off from “The Name.” Lazarus’ name was his security—his only security, and yet sufficient. In the eyes of the world, he had nothing at all. In the eyes of eternity, he had everything needed. The security of Abraham’s bosom was a picture of God’s ultimate protection and provision. As Yahweh had cared for Abraham, now Lazarus receives the blessings of God’s eternal provision. It all comes down to a choice to make God his security.

Lazarus had no standing. He had no wealth. He had no resources. He had no control over the resources of others. All he could do and all he did was to cast his life into God’s care. Psalm 91 came to have new meaning in his life, as God showed a faithfulness the world does not comprehend. This faithful security is on we ourselves hardly understand.

Security is not about the things of this world. Security is not about financial markets, income, health issues, strong borders, language, cultural change, tradition, crime rates, war, extreme weather, environment, or our most cherished freedoms. Security is about choosing a foundation for living that is worthy of our trust. Security is building our lives on priorities that will withstand the uncertainties of life’s turmoil. In the final analysis, we cannot be terrorized if we are truly secure.

Do the things in our lives cloud our understanding of true value? Can our security choices handle the turmoil and stresses of living? We have the opportunity to decide where we will turn for security. We have the option of whether or not we will trust God with eternity, tomorrow, and even today. We have a choice as to whether we will secure our lives in Jesus Christ as a sufficient refuge. Will we claim Christ Jesus as our security? All else is security in name only.

—©2007 Christopher B. Harbin

¹ Mark Wingfield. Baptist Standard, 08 March 2000 “Grisham reflects on death penalty, faith’s influence on novel writing.” Accessed on Sept 2007, at http://www.baptiststandard.com/2000/3_8/pages/grisham.html.