I am your shield

by Barbara Chadwick

This morning I read Genesis 15:1, “…the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward.’” And in verse 7: “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans.” What a magnificent promise – “I am your shield, your very great reward” and “I brought you…”

Every day we experience darts, barbs and hurts. And sometimes we are wounded by the words of others. Inwardly we flinch and cry. We begin to put up barriers between us and the world that gives us pain. Each time we are hit we put on another coat that adds distance between us and the world. To picture this we could draw a figure, bowed over, deflecting hurtful things hurling at her.

I am often beset by worries, frustrations and hurt feelings, “Will people like me?”; Will we have enough money?”; “Will I remain faithful to God or trip up?”; “Will I say the right thing OR Do the right thing?”; “Will my actions be taken wrongly?”

What would it be like if, every day, we acted as if God were the shield in front of us. If we could mentally visualize ourselves surrounded by an invisible, powerful, shield that the words, darts, barbs and hurts of life could not actually penetrate, we could accomplish amazing things, like - getting through the day. We could walk through our days with confidence. We could be who God wants us to be. We could make a difference in someone’s life. We could make a difference in OUR life.

In verse one God says, “Do not be afraid” and in verse seven He says, (paraphrasing) “I am the ONE who brought you…” What a powerful thing to realize that God has walked with you all along. Recently my daughter-in-law, Deanna, said, “I can look back and see how God brought us to each place. I can see how He was with us in every situation.” I love that. I love knowing that the Holy One, the All-Knowing One, the Ever-Present One reaches down and takes my hand, as it were, and brings me along the road I travel. I love knowing that He leads me. I don’t have to be afraid and I can trust Him to bring me to the place He wants me to be.

Father God, since we carry your name as Christians, help us to get up each morning and go into our part of the world with boldness. Give us strength in the knowledge that You are the shield about us, that You have brought us thus far and You have the power to take us the rest of the way. I pray that our thoughts and actions will reflect Your love and grace and not our own selfish desires.