Thank God for His shield

November 20, 2006

By William E. Richardson

“He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5, NKJV).

It was the weekend before Thanksgiving. The Sunday School teacher asked her students why they were thankful.

Immediately, one boy said, “I’m thankful for my pair of glasses.”

“You’re thankful you can see better, aren’t you?”

“I guess,” the boy admitted, “but I’m really thankful that since I wear glasses, the boys won’t try to fight me and the girls won’t try to kiss me.”

Like that Sunday School student, does counting your blessings this Thanksgiving season include the ways God has shielded you? Are you counting that near miss on the highway? Are you including the doctor’s report that seemed iffy before it turned out in your favor? For what other nonevents this year can you thank God for shielding you?

The protective shield is a recurring image in the Bible. Besides the person who carried a shield into battle on his own arm, the Bible portrays a shield-bearer walking in front of a soldier, ready to deflect oncoming arrows and spears. That image reminds us of God going before us every day, protecting us.

But what about the events that appear to slip past the shield and reach you? What about the doctor’s report that isn’t good? Or the setbacks you encounter at work? Or the unexpected phone call from your child’s teacher? Or the surprise visit from the police? Even for those times when the uninvited invade your life, you can be thankful God is your shield. If He were not, things would be far worse and would lack the blessing of His purpose and divine outcome.

A man working underneath his car heard the dreaded sound of one of the supports creaking. He started sliding out from under the car. He almost made it. A couple of days later, hobbling around on a crutch, he could be heard praising God. His praise: that the car fell on his leg rather than on his head. He recognized God’s protective shield.

Abraham faced plenty of difficulties, yet God assured Abraham He was his shield (Genesis 15:1). Through risky situations in strange cities, trials with his nephew Lot, and disputes over well rights, Abraham could put his trust in God.

David faced plenty of problems and multiple enemies, yet he spoke often of God being his shield. He expressed his thankfulness in passages such as Psalm 3:1-3; 28:7; and 144:2.

As you count your blessings this Thanksgiving, you may want to include praises to God for His protection. He’s prevented some things from reaching you and kept other things from being worse than they were. As you’ve put your trust in Him throughout the year, God has indeed been your shield.

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.