I'm shielding!
Psalm 91:2-6 AMPC
I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! [3] For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. [4] [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. [5] You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, [6] Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.
There's a dear friend who has a notice on his front door:
"We are shielding"!
In this current and ever evolving crisis, shielding has negative connotations.
It means cowering away in fear of catching COVID. In this climate of fear and panic, it's quite understandable to want to hideaway. Yet we see that there are no places of safety where close contact can be completely avoided.
But our Lord provides a shield, not for us to hideaway with, but one that enables us to advance in the battle that we face here and now!
Now this buckler image, I always thought it was something to hold a belt together.
However, a buckler was a small shield used to protect the sword hand in battle.
It also was handy in deflecting the rapier stabs of an enemy.
It was used when the battle became "up close and personal"!
Sometimes it could be used offensively to smash the enemy in the face during close hand to hand combat!
So we learn that our Lord provides all kinds of protection for us as we advance against the enemy of our souls.
Time to not cringe away in fear but to avail ourselves of God's Truth and Faithfulness right now!
Father God, help me to live so close to You, so that I have all the protection that You provide in Your Word.
Then I will be able to use the shield and buckler to live free and deflect the attacks of the enemy.
Isaiah 52:12 AMPC
For you will not go out with haste, nor will you go in flight [as was necessary when Israel left Egypt]; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Selah!
Коментарі