Silas
Beloved of All
A cry for protection rises from a deep place, and God hears it. You are not alone in the danger you feel. He has never been distant from those who call on Him.
When fear crept into Abram’s heart after battle, worrying about the threats that might regroup and strike, the Lord spoke clearly: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Abram was not left to fend for himself, and neither are you. The shield was not something Abram had to carry or polish; God Himself presented Himself as the shield. That means the protection you need does not rest on your own alertness or strength. It rests on who God is for you.
Scripture gives us a vivid picture of the cities of refuge, placed within a half day’s run for anyone who needed safety. If a person fled there, the avenger could not touch him. Those cities point us to Jesus Christ, who is our true refuge. In Him we find safety that no enemy can breach. The key was staying inside the city; outside, there was no protection. Your safety remains in Him, in clinging to His presence, in saturating your mind with His promises. When you dwell in that secret place of the Most High, you abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He covers you with His feathers; under His wings you can trust.
That does not mean the arrows will never fly or the storm winds never beat against the wall. But it does mean that nothing can reach you without first passing through Him. He is a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is like a storm against the wall. His truth is your shield and buckler. Just as Jesus answered the enemy with “it is written,” you can take up the word of God and hold it before you. Faith in His promises deflects the lies and threats that seek to pierce your heart.
I am praying with you that you would know His covering right now, that He Himself would be the greased shield that causes every blow to glance off. Stay close to Him. The God of Jacob, who takes imperfect people and becomes their stronghold, is your refuge. The Lord of hosts is with you. Do not let fear drive you out from that safe place into the open fields of anxious striving. Remain in Christ. Whisper His name when the dread rises. He knows, and He will keep you.
When fear crept into Abram’s heart after battle, worrying about the threats that might regroup and strike, the Lord spoke clearly: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Abram was not left to fend for himself, and neither are you. The shield was not something Abram had to carry or polish; God Himself presented Himself as the shield. That means the protection you need does not rest on your own alertness or strength. It rests on who God is for you.
Scripture gives us a vivid picture of the cities of refuge, placed within a half day’s run for anyone who needed safety. If a person fled there, the avenger could not touch him. Those cities point us to Jesus Christ, who is our true refuge. In Him we find safety that no enemy can breach. The key was staying inside the city; outside, there was no protection. Your safety remains in Him, in clinging to His presence, in saturating your mind with His promises. When you dwell in that secret place of the Most High, you abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He covers you with His feathers; under His wings you can trust.
That does not mean the arrows will never fly or the storm winds never beat against the wall. But it does mean that nothing can reach you without first passing through Him. He is a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is like a storm against the wall. His truth is your shield and buckler. Just as Jesus answered the enemy with “it is written,” you can take up the word of God and hold it before you. Faith in His promises deflects the lies and threats that seek to pierce your heart.
I am praying with you that you would know His covering right now, that He Himself would be the greased shield that causes every blow to glance off. Stay close to Him. The God of Jacob, who takes imperfect people and becomes their stronghold, is your refuge. The Lord of hosts is with you. Do not let fear drive you out from that safe place into the open fields of anxious striving. Remain in Christ. Whisper His name when the dread rises. He knows, and He will keep you.
