Monday, January 31, 2011 - Incoming!

     Our favorite family movies include either action-packed intrigue with that wonderful touch of comedy, or full-blown comedies with a touch of plot. Spies and agents in the films always have the latest gear, the funniest of which is the mini-harpoon shooter Agent 86 receives on his first mission in the movie Get Smart. As a rookie in the field and new to dangerous gadgets, he manages to hurt himself and waste most of his tools in the learning process.  
     David, the Shepherd-Warrior-King, loved to call God his Shield.

 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. 

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song."  

Psalm 28:7

     In David's time, a well-constructed shield had to be heavy to deflect an enemy's onslaught of swords, spears, javelins and arrows. Goliath's shield weighed 30 pounds. Heavy shields meant soldiers had to be strong and agile to carry them properly while hurling their own ammunition. Extra large "standing shields" covered most of the body but were so heavy they required specially assigned soldiers called shield-bearers to carry them. Other types of shields were smaller and lighter for maneuverability but these didn't cover much body at a time. While shields were valuable in warfare, their success depended on the craftsmen who made them and the soldiers who used them.
     As our Shield, praise God, He works a bit differently than these flawed man-made versions that left a person's legs or backside vulnerable. David said in Psalm 33:20: 

"We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield." 

Now any soldier who waits for his shield to spot trouble and jump into place on its own would end up as carnage on the battlefield in a physical battle, but in the spiritual realm, where God is our Shield, we wait in hope behind Him for our protection. Sarah Young puts it this way in today's Jesus Calling entry:  " . . .unlike inanimate armor," Jesus is "always alert and active." He surrounds us on all sides, leaving no vulnerable Achilles' heels. He stretches upward to trap incoming fiery arrows (Eph. 6:16) and wraps around us to deflect swords and javelins aimed to damage our faith and shake our hearts. He adds no burden to our battle but carries and covers us. We can be rookies or long-time soldiers in His army to benefit from His gentle protection. We don't have to push the right button or fear self-injury when we hide in Him. He's got our backs, our minds, our hearts, our salvation all in His loving Hands. He sees what's coming today and tomorrow and if we're smart we'll sit tight and "wait in hope for the LORD," rejoicing that He knows exactly how to handle the most cunning and crafty enemy. 

    Lord, we praise You for Your flexibility, Your gentleness, Your protection, Your battle-wise strategies. We're babies when it comes to fighting the enemy since most of us are still struggling against being our own worst enemies. But, as our spiritual Shield, You can protect us from ourselves and from the enemy. I praise You that I don't have to know secret codes or have certain skills for You to defend me. Thank You for the security I find in Your protection. Speak to me Lord, and show me personal battles in which I need to wait for You instead of planning my own defense. 

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Messiah, Prince of Peace, Conqueror of Death, and Victor over sin! 

"When I am afraid, I will trust in You. 
     In God, Whose Word I praise, in God I trust;
          I will not be afraid. 
               What can mortal man do to me?" 
                    Psalm 56:3-4 

  "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will worry about itself. 

Each day has enough trouble of its own." 

Matthew 6:34

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, 

and I will bring you back to this land.  

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Genesis 28:15

Inspired by Jesus Calling

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